Parenting can be hard. There are many days and even moments when we need to find creative ways to navigate the challenging parts of parenting.

Toddlers and preschoolers are little balls of energy with a lot of ‘go, go, go’ but very little ‘stop or slow.’ So, how can you encourage your spirited toddler to slow down and be more mindful?

When we allow children the opportunity to check in with their bodies and set boundaries, we are teaching them what consent looks like in action. This message is an important one for kids to understand as it empowers them to keep themselves safe and healthy while building self-confidence.

Parenting a strong-willed child can sometimes turn into power struggles when our child has a different idea of how things should go than we do.

Summer break can be a time full of emotions for many parents. It is an exciting time where there is a break from homework, getting up early, catching the bus, and full schedules. It is also a time when filling the summer beak with magical moments and things to do can feel overwhelming.

It’s never too late or too early to start setting boundaries in our relationships. Boundaries are an important part of self-care and are a gift to us and our children as they are an important factor in protecting relationships.

When Parents reframe a challenge or mistake so that it is solution focused instead of blaming it can support raising resilient problem solvers by using language that seeks to understand and address needs, rather than always looking for someone to blame or punish (even if that person is ourselves).

Children want (and need) to have some control of choices in their lives. When children sense that we’re on their side, and that we will support their autonomy whenever we can, they’re much more likely to cooperate when choices aren’t an option.

The narrative in our head often dictates our response to our child. When we change those thoughts from negative to positive, we start to see our children in a new way, and we can respond in healthier ways.

“You’re OK.” It may seem like a simple response to help your child get over something, but research shows that even small shifts in how we approach our children’s emotions while they are little can benefit them in big ways as they grow and mature into adults.