If you want to be healthy, get plenty of rest, exercise, healthy food and fresh air.

In this complex, fast paced world of constantly changing ideas of healthy living and “what’s good 0r bad for you,”  probably makes you wonder if it could possibly be that simple.

Now I must mention that my Grandmother wasn’t a doctor or nutritionist and neither am I.  But some things just make sense….

It is my basic concept that the best way to a healthy family is to get close to the source.

Now you  probably wonder what I am talking about… close to the source.  Well… let’s take healthy food for example.  I have in my hand as I write this, a name brand breakfast bar. What is the source of this “food” item?  Where did the it come from? What are the ingredients that make up a brand name breakfast bar?

Hmmm…. reading… hmmm …. okay… Originally, the ingredients were something like grains, fruit, milk, salt.  The grain grew in the soil, as did the fruit.  The milk came from a cow.  The salt from the sea. That all sounds okay.  But the ingredients in this bar have been so processed that the only thing I can see that is unaltered is some vegetable oil.  Strawberry flavored fruit pieces ?? Natural yogurt flavor? Glycerin? Calcium Carbonate?  Maltodextrin? BHT?

That ingredient list read more like the label on the back of a shampoo bottle than a food ingredient list!!

My argument is that all this processing and altering of food ingredients and addition of chemicals is VERY unhealthy.  One simple way to increase the health of your family is to simplify your diet and stay close to the source.

How do I stay close to the source?

If you eat foods as close to the source as possible, you end up eating butter instead of margarine… cheese and whole grain crackers rather than boxed macaroni and cheese… raw vegetables with a dip made of sour cream and seasonings instead of frozen vegetables with a frozen, fat laden sauce… oatmeal with maple syrup instead of poptarts…homemade english muffin pizzas rather than a frozen boxed pizza.  The list could go on all day.

You can take a step further and choose organic produce over the regular stuff at the grocery store.  Often the cost is similar.  Choose fresh over frozen.  Choose frozen over canned.  Choose individual foods over premade meals.  Read  labels.  Think about whether you want to be feeing your loved ones (including you)  things you can’t even pronounce.

One great way to stay close to the source is to make your own snacks and meals.  Click here for an article I wrote about cooking with kids.

Here are some resources that can help to get you eating close to the source.

Another way to stay very close to the source is to grow your own food.  Maybe you don’t know how.  We’ll get into that next.  Maybe you don’t have room. We’ll get into that too.  Chances are you can grow a few things.  You can’t beat your own gardening for nutrition and the experience lasts for a lifetime.  There isn’t much more gratifying than planting, watering and finally picking a tomato or pepper or carrot.

The point is that, in general, the closer to the source the more nutritious and healthy the food tends to be.  Now that is simple.

Take my argument further and ask yourself how you can make exercise closer to the source.  Shut off that video exercise game and go out for a walk with your family or to the park  and get those little feet running around on the mother earth.  Play catch or backyard soccer or run a race.  Not to be negative about the indoor fitness programs, but there is something very healthy about getting out in the air and playing or walking or biking together.

And as I write about staying close to the source, it bears mentioning that we all need to be close to the Source of Life.  Whatever you believe about the energy vibrating in our cells… whatever you believe about who or what set this world into being… whatever you believe about what guides you through your days and your troubles… whatever you believe that to be…  It is healthy to take the time to get close to it, to stay close to it.  From there we draw our energy and it only makes sense to stay close to the power source. Without attention to the spiritual self, the body and mind are more prone to illness, upset and dis-ease of all sorts.

Here’s to your health !! And don’t forget to
Keep it simple !!

Make one change for your family.  Add one new healthy food. Go for a walk.  Play at the park. Tell me how it went…

Inquiring minds need to know so I went surfing and sifting on the internet for the best  info and fun to share with my family and with yours.

What I learned is that St Patrick was born “Maewyn ” in 385 AD in Wales.  He was a one time “heathen” who turned to God and the Catholic Church and then sought to bring others into the light as well.  Legend has it that he drove all the snakes out of Ireland, although rumor has it there were never any snakes native to Ireland anyway. He was said to have described the holy trinity as analogous to the three leaves on a clover, and thus the shamrock is associated with him.  St Patrick died on March 17 in AD 461 and that day has been St Patrick’s Day ever since.

To the Catholic church, St Patrick’s Day originated as a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide.  St Patrick’s Day eventually became  a secular holiday as well,  a worldwide celebration off all things Irish.

Here in the far northeastern corner of the US,  St Patrick’s Day is the first green we’ve seen in way, way too long.  After months of the brown and grey and white of our long winter, anything green seems quite a good reason for a party!!

Here are  some real gems that I found.  Many of them offer lots of nifty stuff for various  holidays  so I’m sure we’ll revisit them from time to time.

http://wilstar.com/holidays/patrick.htm provides a simple history of St Patrick and of the traditional Catholic holiday, St Patrick’s Day, that has become a secular celebration of Irish heritage around the world.   There is a quiz at the end and some traditional Irish songs.  A neat, fun, attractive site for an overview of St Patrick’s Day.

http://www.st-patricks-day.com/ offers a list of St Patricks Day events around the world, a detailed history of St Patrick and St Patricks Day through history, Irish culture, music, dance, recipes, plus way too much more to mention here.   This is your source for everything Irish.

http://holidays.kaboose.com/saint-patricks-day/ is packed full of craft ideas for children, recipes, party ideas, games, coloring pages.  A great family site you’ll seek out for other holidays as well.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/stpatrick/ has some workbook type pages with puzzles, connect the dot, word finds, etc. that will be fun for your elementary school age children.

http://stpatricksday.com/ offers details of the history of St Patrick as well as some of his writings, St Patrick’s Day gifts, quotes and events.

http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/stpatty/fun.htm is a really fun site for kids.  This adorable St Patricks Day animated Puzzle had me totally captivated.

http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/ is another family geared site with lots of crafts, activities, and recipes to get you in the festive spirit.

So have fun and let me know which activities were the best!

Children need to play.

Although it is often useful to provide activities that directly promote learning, realize that preschoolers learn by playing.  That is what they do.  You can’t keep them from it.  They are little learning machines, soaking up non-stop information about the world and their place in it.  You  provide healthy food to grow their bodies.  You provide healthy activities to grow their minds and bodies as well.  If there is a variety provided, their interest will draw them to what they need to grow healthy and strong.

Play is how children explore and learn about the world, relationships, and themselves. One of the most useful ways to find activities for your preschooler  is to notice what they are already interested in!

When my sons were 2, 5 and 8 they ate, slept and breathed superheroes.   Batman and Robin,  Superman,  Spider Man were my constant companions in those days.  I will never forget the day they all three came “flying” out of their room  in their knit pj’s with their superhero underwear on top, sporting pillow case capes and bare feet. POW ! BAM! WHAM!  The bad guys didn’t stand a chance!

We made a bat cave out of the box the dishwasher came in.  We watched super hero movies together and read superhero comics.  We made up our own superheros and created costumes for them and they played super heroes for countless hours.  I only wish I had taken more photos!

While visiting  my oldest son yesterday,   he  reminded me how he and his super hero brothers would take big bites of onions.  This is where they derived their superpowers, like Popeye with his spinach.  In his mid-twenties now and expecting a child of his own in August, he still remembers the fun and companionship of playing superheroes with his brothers. I come to the same conclusion now that I did then. A few chewed up onions was a small price to pay for the play value my boys got from these flights of communal imagination.

Here are 3 simple steps to Captivating your Preschooler

1- Ask yourself… what does my child find interesting?

shoes…bugs…dinosaurs…dolls…plants…baking…babies…chocolate milk…farm animals… cats… apples… plants…”writing”…singing…trees…cars…shoes …
my list could go on and on, but it is up to you to observe your child.

What draws your child’s interest when you are at home, out on a walk, at the mall, at the grocery store?  Make a list of things that seem to fascinate your child.

2- Add some ideas, materials and direction.

See where you can expand on your child’s interest…

Go to the library and look for a book.

What could you cook together ?

What could you build? Or make from materials at hand?

Big boxes are wonderful for all kinds of preschooler play.

Where could you go to see more of this? Watch the newspaper, check online for activities, exhibits and things of interest in your area.

Could you make a costume?

Could you enlist the help of dolls and stuffed animals

Could you make simple decorations for their room ?

Could you use a toy as a prop?

Create a play or a puppet show?
A puppet stage can be as simple as draping a sheet over the dining room table.  Puppets can be as simple as cutout paper glued to a Popsicle stick

Write your own book? Fold pieces of paper in half and staple.  You can take dictation and have your budding artist illustrate.

3- Let your child lead the play.You supervise and make sure your child is safe but within reason let them have the reins and watch and enjoy where their imagination takes them.

Remember that it’s the process not the product .

Your preschooler will typically care more about the activity than the perfection of the finished product.  It is  the activity itself that fuels their interest and creates the bonding with you and playmates. It is within the  exploration  that the learning takes place. Don’t get hung up on a finished product, but enjoy and display them if they come about.

The sky is the limit with a preschoolers imagination so get ready to soar! Drop me a line with some of your favorites activities and moments!

Here’s some great books that are packed with ideas for fun and learning…

• Get your kids to eat the things you want them to. Cooking with kids is really effective in getting them to try new things and to like things they might otherwise not.
• Cooking is educational. It is full of math, science, social studies, everything. It is all in there.  Education at its best focuses on your child’s interests and builds on them.   If your child asks how many ounces in a pound or why bread rises and you don’t know, you can learn together.
• Cooking is rewarding – the preparation of food, the smells, tastes, sights are pleasant to the senses to say nothing of the fun of sampling your creation.
• Cooking is a necessary skill.  Let’s face it.  The ability to put foods together in an appetizing and healthy way would be a good thing to give to your child.  Healthy eating does not consist of everything you can pull out of the freezer and zap in the microwave.

• Cooking creates memories and warmth in relationships that last an entire lifetime.  The opportunities are limitless to teach healthy eating habits, a balanced approach to food and eating, family togetherness and so much more.

So what’s stopping you?  Get Cooking with your Kid !! Here’s some tips to get you started…

Relax. Don’t rush.  Don’t expect perfection.  What you are creating here is so much more than food.  You are creating a lifetime of good eating habits and a balanced attitude toward food.  You are creating a lifetime relationship with your child.

Relax. Am I repeating myself? Yes.  But with good reason.  If you really MUST hurry, this is not the time to cook for the first time with your child.  You will find that cooking with a child may, at first, slow you down.  But it is worth it.  Later when their skills improve, you will find their help invaluable, as well as their company.  Plus.  Why are you in such a hurry anyway.? Food is most tasty and I believe easy to digest when it is prepared in a loving way which is difficult if you are running around thinking about tomorrow’s deadlines.  Get present. You are here now.  Relax and enjoy this moment of making food for yourself and your family.

Have fun. Choose foods that are healthy and tasty and pleasant to prepare.  Think about what your child can do at each step of the cooking process and give them small tasks to complete.

Be safe. Make hot things off limits.  Period.  NO exceptions.  If you watch very carefully, you will know when your child is ready to begin stirring a pot on the stove or taking the cookies off the baking sheet.  You will see when she can begin to help hold the hand mixer.  And until you are really sure, stay by your child’s side every single moment he is using dangerous tools.  Always  err on the side of caution.

Plan around your child’s abilities and interests. If your child loves to crack eggs, make french toast or scrambled eggs.  If your child just had some homemade bread at a friends house, make some bread.  If your child wants to be a vegetarian, get a cookbook and try some recipes together.

Plan around things you would like your child to learn.

• Perhaps you would like your child to learn some cooking technique, like using an electric mixer, for example.  Make a cake.  Use the food processor?  Slice pepperoni and make a pizza.
• Educational Cooking
  • Make pretzels or cookies into alphabet shapes with young children
  • Create a budget for a meal, shop and cook with your teen to help them learn basic life skills
  • Find recipes, plan and cook a meal from an area that your child is studying in school or you ‘ve seen in a movie or on TV
  • Invite a friend to help you cook a meal from their culture or part of the world

Most of all have fun!

And if you cook something that gets ruined, burned or simply tastes horrid… that’s okay.  It happens and it’s part of the learning.  Look at what went wrong.  Then pitch the mistake into the trash and order a pizza or have a grilled cheese and soup.  Try again later.

It’s not whether you make a mistake, it’s how you deal with it that creates and defines your character.  One of the best things we can teach our kids is to see that all things work together for good, if you’re looking for it.

Have you tried cooking with your child?  What did you make?  How did it go?

Dinner is ready.  Amber has made baked chicken, potatoes, green beans, and homemade rolls.  Her husband, John, has gotten the children all washed up and assembled at the table.  The aroma rising from the table is close to heaven and everybody dives in with relish.  Everyone, that is, except for five year old Todd.

Todd whines, “I don’t like this.”

John rolls his eyes and says “Eat.”

Todd whines louder. “I don’t like it, Daddy!”

Todd continues to whine and pushes the food around on his plate.

Amber says, “Todd, you love chicken.”

“Only nuggets.”  says the sulking Todd.

There is no mistaking the irritation in John’s voice when he says, “Todd, eat your dinner!”

And so it goes and escalates as it goes, every evening until everyone at the table is quite upset.  Every meal  is a battle to get  Todd to eat what is placed in front of him.   If his request for special food is denied, he fidgets, cries and squirms until dinner is over and everyone is miserable. Usually he  either gets his chicken nuggets or the snack he demands a half hour after dinner is over.  Many nights Amber cooks his chicken nuggets just to keep some semblance of peace at the dinner table.

John hates the whining. The other children are upset by the tension at the table.  Amber worries about whether Todd is getting enough of the proper foods to be healthy.  Perhaps worst of all, the mood of each meal is ruined for the entire family by the focus on Todd’s whining and refusal to eat.

I proposed to Amber a simple solution.

She is to prepare a dinner that the family would typically enjoy.  They are to sit down at the table as usual.  When Todd begins to whine, he is told politely and lovingly –

This is  dinner for this evening.  He can choose to eat it or not.  The next food will be at breakfast.

The family is to ignore all whining and complaining and continue their family conversations as best they can.  This may be difficult, but they are to outwardly ignore it.  They are to say nothing more about his eating or not eating. Even if it is upsetting to them, they are not to show it. Amber and John can briefly reassure the other children –

Todd is  deciding if he wants to eat dinner.   Everything is okay.

When the meal is over, the evening is to proceed as normal.  If  Todd expresses his hunger, he should be lovingly reassured.

You are hungry because you chose not to eat dinner.  Breakfast will be ready when you get up in the morning.

Todd will most likely be upset by this change in his life.  He may create considerable upset and his parents may be tempted to give in.  Amber and John must be patient and understanding and give him reassurance that everything is okay and breakfast will be available in the morning.  Aside from some simple reassurance, their comments should be kept to a bare minimum.

It is very important that John and Amber stay in a loving space toward Todd.  He has simply gotten in a habit of behaving in a certain way about food and needs help and support in changing it.  This is NOT punishment.  It is guidance.  They are simply guiding Todd toward more healthy behavior around food.

It can be very helpful to offer attention not related to food… read a book, play a game, watch a movie. 

They must not cave in and offer snacks. 

Amber and John need to remember…

What they are doing is to benefit Todd and the whole family.

In the morning, breakfast should be offered as usual.  Todd will most likely be ready to eat.  If he is not, the same process should be followed, with a reminder of when the next food will be available (ie. a mid-morning snack if that is the norm, or lunch).  It is most important throughout that a loving, but matter of fact attitude be shown… no nagging, reminding, cajoling.

Amber and John must realize that they have helped to create this problem and must lovingly and firmly teach Todd a new way.  It may be difficult for everyone, but it will be well worth it in the end and Todd will adjust quickly if the new rules are firm and delivered with love and without nagging, criticism, reminders or great shows of sympathy.

It is very important to give as little attention as possible to the problem of Todd’s  mealtime behavior and his resultant hunger pangs.

Please note:

• I am not advocating depriving a child of basic nutrition.  In fact, this method is the best way of assuring that a child eats the healthy and nutritious foods you provide.  Skipping a meal or two or three will not hurt your child, emotionally or physically.  Developing manipulative eating habits, as Todd has, is both emotionally and physically detrimental and needs to be addressed.

• I am not advocating refusing a child food.  The child is offered healthy, nutritious, tasty food at regular mealtimes and normal , established snacktimes and is being allowed to choose whether to eat or not.
  

• I do not ever advocate forcing a child to eat.  How many of us still can’t eat brussel sprouts, spinach or peas because we were forced to eat them as a child?  How many of us still feel we must finish everything on our plates to the point of obesity because it was drilled into our heads that that clean plate was more important than the messages our bodies were sending to us.

The last time I spoke with Amber, Todd was eating with the rest of the family.  Once a week, they have chicken nuggets and that is still his favorite food.  Mealtimes have become  pleasant family events that everyone can enjoy.

Here’s my favorite book on feeding infants and it all starts there, believe it or not…

Are you having discipline problems with your child? Would you like to see information on some family matter?   Leave a comment.  Ask a question.  Maybe I can help.

I’ve been in this position more times than I can count and I’ve come up with a few tips that might help you out.

First thing you’ve got to do is clean up your attitude.

Yup, that’s what I said.  I know, I know, you hate to clean.  But for now, put that on a shelf.  That thought drains your energy.  You can use your mind to much greater effect and use all that “I hate cleaning” energy to get ‘er done.  Put on some music you love.  It will distract your mind.

Next, simplify.

Move quickly around your home and do a general sort of picking up.  Get things off the floor, sofa, table, desk, etc.  This is not the time to sort.  Sorting is too distracting you will never get the cleaning done.  Make a pile of stuff that belongs to each person.  Put the mail and various household papers in a pile somewhere and deal with them later.  Sort roughly if you must… school papers in one stack, mail in another, but don’t get hung up on organizing.  We are aiming for a general unearthing of the surfaces you are going to clean.  Don’t take more than 15 minutes or half an hour to do this.

Dust.

Wring every bit of water possible from a dust free cloth.  I use these cleaning cloths I get at Home Depot that cost about $.50 a piece and last a long time.  (When they are new I use them as kitchen cloths for wiping hands while cooking and covering hot rolls.  When they start to get dingy I put them in the rag bag.)  With this slightly damp cloth, dust everything you can get to.  Remember, you are done sorting and tidying.  Just dust what you can.

Still struggling with your “I hate cleaning” attitude?

Focus in on what you are doing. Look at the surfaces you are cleaning.  Notice how your hand holds the cloth.  Notice how it slides over the table, chair, etc. Notice how the cloth feels in your hand.  Notice everything your body is doing.  Really look at what you are doing. If you really focus in, you will forget about hating anything.  You might even begin to marvel at the sensations in your hands, at the wonder of moving around, in the miracle of another day to live and breathe and love.

Put on some good, upbeat music. The music will lift you up and help distract your mind from its I hate cleaning track.

Think Gratitude. You can’t be grateful and unhappy at the same time.  Look around you .  What have you to be grateful for?  A roof over your head? Your family? See how many things you can think of and notice what happens to your mood.

Now to the bathroom.

When everything is wiped dusted, move to the bathroom.  Spray a little window cleaner or a little Comet into the toilet bowl and brush it out.  Spray window cleaner on the rim, the outside of the toilet, tank, base and surrounding floor and wipe it down with paper towels. Paper towels remove all those bits of hair and dust that stick like glue to porcelain. Spray some window cleaner in the sink and wipe off the sink and faucet with a fresh lint free rag.  Spray down the shower and wipe it clean.  If it needs a thorough cleaning, make a note of that and the need to get some turbo bathroom cleaner later.  Your objective here is to not get bogged down. Your objective is to get the house reasonably clean in as little time as possible.

You can wait and mop the bathroom floor later when you mop other floors, but i find it easiest and most effective to simply wipe the bathroom floor down with window cleaner and a rag.  I find it is too hard to get into all the nooks and crannies of a bathroom with a mop.

Now move to the kitchen.  Do the dishes.  Wipe down the counters.  Wipe off the stove.  Wipe out the microwave.

With all this done, you are ready to vacuum, sweep, and mop the floors.  Vacuum or sweep for hard floor surfaces, take your pick.  Vacuum all the carpets and scatter rugs.  Now mop the floors.  Voila ! You are finished!  And that wasn’t so bad, was it?

Now if the kids get up in the middle of all of this and they are too young to help, provide them with what will hold them over for a bit and keep on your task.  A fresh diaper, a piece of toast or a bowl of cereal might be just fine for now.  If they are old enough, see if you can enlist their help. If that’s just not going to work, get them in front of a movie, perhaps, for just a bit while you finish up.

There are probably things you have not addressed in this once over cleaning, but look around you.  Things are considerably brightened up and you can make notes on more thorough cleaning that needs to be done and set aside a time for that.

Drop me a line and tell me if this helps, what you would like more information on, what problems you run into, whatever is on your mind…

Mid-February still has us in the deep freeze here in Central Vermont and cabin fever and light deprivation conspire to create a sense of dreary restlessness in our family lives.  So how do you combat that?

Laughter !!

So here’s what I’m suggesting. Get the family together for a movie night. Not just any movie night, but a …

Good Humor Marathon

You will need:

snacks
beverages
soft lighting
a tv and movie player of your choice (dvd, vcr, blue-ray)
comfy places to sit or lie down ( pillows, comforters and sleeping bags are great!) and of course, a bunch of very funny…

Movies

Go through your movie collection, borrow some from friends, or go to the video store if they still exist in your area. Or better yet, sign up for Netflix! I love Netflix. The cost is minimal for what you get. It took a little while for me to get used to Netflix because you have to plan ahead a bit, but they have plans for every budget and the movie selection is simply vast.
And NO LATE FEES !!

Get everybody comfy and let the fun begin! In our house, we let everybody stay up as late as they wanted and watch as many movies as they wished. Often morning would find the kids still crashed out on the livingroom floor. Our movie marathons were one of our favorite family activities and made for many great memories over the years.

Additional Ideas

• Everybody make an agreement to turn off the phones for the evening.
• For a few days before your marathon, put a voting box in an obvious place and ask everyone to contribute ideas for funny movies to get from Netflix.
• Have everyone invite a friend over. Make it a party.
• Make sure everyone has some say in the choice of movies.

What is the funniest movie of all time?

Leave a comment with your suggestions for all time great comedy movies. What would be on your list for your own movie marathon?

A few days ago I was talking to my friend Jenny. Her youngest daughter, Amanda, is in the throws of adolescence and Jenny is frustrated, to say the least. Amanda seems disrespectful, unwilling to do chores or even pick up after herself and wants on-demand taxi and maid service.  Amanda expects to be bankrolled through the college of her choice and cannot understand why she is the “only girl in the whole school” who has to pay for her own cell phone and car insurance.  The arguments and tension are constant and Jenny is at her wits end.

How do I get this child to sleep ?

Another friend, Beth, was telling me recently that she cannot get her toddler, Sam, to go to bed at night.  The later it gets, the more out of control Sam becomes. Bribes, threats, snuggling, snacks, drinks of water.  Nothing helps. After several rounds of tears and aggravation, mother and child finally collapse in Beth’s bed around midnight.  Beth wakes up exhausted in the morning and is getting burned out by the nightly conflicts and lack of sleep.  She has the feeling her toddler is ruling the house.

You don’t have to give up on a peaceful relationship with your child.

As a mother of five grown children, I could certainly sympathize with what my friends are experiencing.  The discipline problems can hardly be ignored yet the example of our parents leaves us little to draw on in managing behavior.  Our parents did their best with the resources available to them at the time.  But times have changed and the methods our parents used just don’t seem to work any more.  We are really fortunate because there is much more information available now and there are ways to raise children that respect them and encourage their growth while maintaining a sense of order, respect and love in the home.

You may be thinking, “There is so much out there, how do I know what will actually help.”

When my daughter turned 3-1/2, it became very apparent to me that I needed to try something different.  The authoritarian methods of my parents didn’t work.  If I said, “You will…” she simply said, “No, I won’t.”  To “make” her do what I wanted seemed too severe and counter to my beliefs that a child needs to be directed not forced.  Needless to say, I was delighted to find methods that are more effective and lasting and foster independence and cooperation rather than fear and resentment.

I started reading and over time I came up with three books that enabled me to direct my children and support both their own growth and my desire that they grow to be pleasant, vibrant, strong, independent people who know how to fit into their world while still being themselves.

Love does not equal Chaos!

Perhaps most importantly, I learned how to discipline in ways that diffused the tension and frustration in the relationships. You do not have to allow chaos, disrespect and misbehavior for your children to love you.  Despite appearances, your child looks to you for direction and guidance. A very loving parent can also be a firm influence, guiding and directing a child toward independence and adulthood.

Discipline is dynamic, always changing and requiring attention, listening, loving thought, follow-thru and self-examination. Parenting will create in you as much growth as you will experience in your child, if you allow it.  While there is no instant fix, I would like to share with you the three books that changed my life and my parenting.  Perhaps you will find, as I did, that there is a better way.  There is hope.

If there are specific topics regarding discipline that you would like to hear about, leave a comment or a question.  Here’s a common issue…

How do I get this Kid to Eat Something Besides Chicken Nuggets?