Do you remember the first pet you ever owned? I remember being 5 years old when I got my first pet; a blue betta fish named Rainbow Blue. I was thrilled to have this little fish that was all mine. Every day I made sure to feed it and attend to its needs. Eventually, I
Imagine that you are at home with your children. You’re scrolling through your social media feed while your spouse is working on their laptop. Your toddler and preschooler are watching a children’s program on the television and your school-aged child is playing a game on your tablet. Suddenly the power goes out, taking the precious
Have you ever been on an airplane? Before the plane takes off the flight attendant reminds the passengers where the safety exits are located and how to access the overhead oxygen mask. Importantly, they instruct the passengers to put on their masks before helping another person. Why is it important to put your oxygen on
In 2001, The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) began studying how education programs and early child care across the country could prevent child abuse and neglect and build healthy, happy families. They came up with an approach called Strengthening Families. Strengthening Families is a research-informed approach to increase family strengths, enhance child development,
Being raised by a single parent is special but far from easy. I grew up in a single-parent household along with my younger brother. As a single mother, my mom did everything in her power to make sure my brother and I were happy and gave us the best life possible. As a child, I
In some cases, divorce is necessary for the well-being of the family, for example, when there is abuse. Though when that is not the case, strengthening marriage and working through conflict avoids many challenges while at the same time supporting children in learning valuable skills for life. Why avoid divorce when possible Divorce hurts children
Growing up, I was fortunate to have my grandparents in my life. My relationship with each of them was as different as each of their personalities, from the grandpa who lived out of state but was a “snowbird” and traveled through Utah each fall and spring and treating us to dinner at a local buffet
Divorce is a common challenge many children face, and though this decision may be best for your family, you as a parent may worry about how this change will affect the little ones. How you break the news to your child and how you each cope with it will affect how well your child adjusts
We live in a time of political turmoil, disease, and natural disasters. At home, we may be enduring trials such as divorce, the death of a loved one, or mental illness. These difficult subjects are hard enough to talk about with other adults. Attempting to explain these events to children can be a daunting task.
While allowing kids to fail feels messy and frightening, letting them learn from their mistakes helps them to become empowered, releasing the controlling hold of fear that paralyzes decisions and helps develop lasting, deep-rooted accountability along with, ironically, building the self-confidence that comes with personal autonomy and recovery from failure. Failure is a part of
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