http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com Timeless Parenting Advice for Toddlers through Teenagers Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:45:15 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining (and profoundly moving) case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it. Think about this: "We don't grow into creativity, we grow out of it; actually, we get educated out of it." Click below to begin the video: You may ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/education-creativity/ Perhaps the most effective way to determine the value of an idea is to determine the negative effects that occur when that concept is missing. Let’s examine the power of human touch regarding children and the accompanying effects that can result from insufficient physical contact. Recent research in neuroscience has shown that ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/hunger-for-touch/ From the very first infant feeding to college tuition, parents are constantly giving to their children. Some parents give more, and others less; yet we all wonder at some point, “Am I spoiling my daughter?” or, “Is buying this item for my son truly a good idea?” Is there a guide or ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/are-you-spoiling-your-kid/ No other time of the day in our child’s life is as emotionally charged as bedtime! Bedtime can be considered a significant ‘trunk’ of your child’s ‘tree’- from where many other ‘branches’ - or issues - emerge. Well-rested children will perform better scholastically, be in a happier frame of mind, and generally ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/smooth-bedtimes/ Blog Book Tour We Are More Than Beautiful 46 Real Teens Speak Out about Beauty, Happiness, Love and Life by Woody Winfree The new book, We Are More Than Beautiful for teen girls is the latest addition to the work of the I Am Beautiful Project, an initiative committed ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/beautiful/ Last week I was privileged to attend a lecture on the subject of preventing sexual abuse among children by Dr. D. Pelcovitz, professor of education and psychology at Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education in New York. There is a theory among overprotective parents that the ideal way of ensuring our ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/preventing/ No matter where you live and how sheltered you keep your family, Western values are infiltrating our households. How do you prevent American values (i.e. that beauty, wealth, and power are the keys to happiness and success) from taking hold in your children's mind? What is an effective manner to convey that ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/values-versus-pop-culture/ Teaching Children to Organize Their Possessions: Five Tips for Parents If you’d look under the children’s beds or in the playrooms of most houses, you might think there is no way to get your kids organized. Stuffed animals have a way of multiplying and covering beds and dressers, game and ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/getting-kids-organized/ Yell at your kids in the afternoon, but… … NOT in the mornings! This week, we are going to incorporate a new habit into our lives. The purpose of this particular habit is to make our children’s living more pleasant and to give them the emotional tools that they need to ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/yell-in-the-afternoon/ Here’s a question for you: Would you attempt a cross-country drive without a single gallon of gas in your car’s tank? At the risk of stating the obvious, nobody in their right mind would try to take a trip in a vehicle that lacks fuel! Then, why, OH WHY, do so many of ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/driving-without-fuel/ It was one of those dull, gray Monday mornings earlier this week when I was sitting in my doctor’s office being administered a medication via IV for several hours.  Unfortunately, I had neglected to find a good book to accompany me on this boring morning in a cold, geriatric environment. Therefore, ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/dont-worry/ This time of year, we look forward to the excitement and fun of the holiday season: Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the New Year are all occasions to rejoice and celebrate with family and friends. With the holidays, though, comes more than the usual amount of juggling, multitasking, planning, making, ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/holiday-tips/ The Art of Reframing It’s not just for artists and professional framers. Reframing is a psychological tool that can simply transform your life. I know, it sounds pretty cliché, however- it’s the truth. The other day I was parked in our 5-speed Nissan Sentra facing the playing field outside of my children’s ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/reframing/ Progress, not Perfection Yesterday I noticed a bumper sticker in my dentist’s parking lot which read, “Progress, not perfection.” Hundreds of examples of how to apply that motto to childrearing rushed through my head as I made my way past that shiny sedan. Although most of those ideas flew right out of my ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/progress-not-perfection/ One of the greatest fallacies of our time is the mistaken social rule that “happiness means being comfortable”. When was the last time that you saw modern-day movie where the hero or heroine was happy to be in an impoverished and uncomfortable state? Advertisers play upon this unspoken rule by convincing us ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/pursuit-of-comfort/ If you were asked to deliver a lecture about marine biology in thirty minutes, would you be able to give a terrific speech? Probably not. And neither would I. How about if the subject was antique marble collecting? Or ancient Chinese weaving techniques? The point is: We cannot teach that which we ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/you-cant-teach-it-if-you-dont-know-it/ Go ahead... you deserve a laugh! http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/mom-song/ Happy. Sad. Most youngsters can recognize these feelings from a very early age. However, what about the myriad of other feelings that pop up within our hearts? Anger. Loneliness. Excitement. Jealousy. Worry. Disappointment. Anticipation The ability to express and recognize our emotions has a tremendous ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/all-about-emotions/ Every busy parent knows that life is a continuous juggling act in the midst of a three-ring-circus.  Trust me, I have three little boys, each of whom manages to demand, perform, and behave in excess of a Barnum and Bailey show! Every day you pack enough sandwiches and cook sufficient food ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/juggling/ Protecting our children By Wade Meszaros,  Mental Health Child & Youth Therapist I have been involved in counselling families and children for the past 15 years. One of the most devastating experiences a person can go through is an abusive experience. I have found over the years the most horrendous damage is done ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/protecting-our-children/ {Order reprint rights for this article here - #1045} There are so many powerful thoughts regarding raising small souls cruising through my mind today that I scarcely know where to begin! We just returned from a most unique vacation- a wilderness program for ‘at-risk’ teens in the San ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/responsibility/ {Order reprint rights for this article here - #1044} My good friend Sarah recently repeated this conversation to us, and we laughed until we could laugh no longer. "Hi, how are you?" the next-door-neighbor asked Sarah. "I'm dying, thank you," Sarah replied in an even tone of voice. "Great!" the neighbor responded heartily. ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/reclaiming-the-lost-art-of-listening/ Take the time to take a good hard look at where you are today, and where you want to be in the future. You are here, yet you want to be there. Your children are here, and you’d like to guide them there. What is stopping you from being in ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/ouch/ “I love you.” They are the three sweetest words in our language; wonderful, special words. Yet, the interpretation of these words can be just as distinctive as our fingerprints. Pronouncing the phrase “I love you” may be the equivalent of physical affection for you, while your child may be one who ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/how-do-you-love-me/ Dear Ellen, Sometimes I get so mad at my kids! Yesterday, we were getting ready for a family reunion that our family will be hosting next week. My thirteen-year-old daughter suggested that we create place cards and matching centerpieces for the party. Although this will be an informal ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/i-want-to-scream/ A wise educator once compared a child's distress over a lost toy to the anguish that an entrepreneur feels regarding a failed investment. He specified that taking away a block of wood that a child is floating in the bathtub as a pretend boat is akin to a merchant's ship ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/put-yourself-in-his-shoes/ “Do as I say and not as I do.” That hypocritical concept is unquestionably one of the most ineffective methods of education. Children see, and children do. Children instinctively model the behavior of those around them, thereby developing physical, emotional, and mental skills. On occasion, it can be difficult to have faith in the ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/modeling-as-a-way-of-life/ Raising children is arguably one of the most complex and profound challenges that we face. From the innocent days of infancy through the complicated chaos of the teenage years, childrearing is fraught with questions and uncertainty. Like a freshly germinating seed, each newborn requires a certain set of conditions to thrive. ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/planting-small-souls/ If there is one attribute that can change the outcome of a child’s life, I would have to define that as self-esteem. Low self-esteem can take a youngster to unsavory relationships and achievement far below his or her potential, while a healthy level of confidence will ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/your-childs-self-esteem/ Perhaps the most effective way to determine the value of an idea is to determine the negative effects that occur when that concept is missing. Let's examine the power of human touch regarding children and the accompanying effects that can result from insufficient physical contact. Recent research in neuroscience has shown that ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/touch-hunger/ Perhaps it all began in the latter half of the 20th century when a new trend in parenting spread amongst those who were fairly new in their “careers” as parents. Establishing one’s role as a parental figure in the early stages of a child’s development is no easy task ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/my-buddy-and-me/ Pretend for a moment that it is midnight.  Or is it? Suddenly, all of the clocks in your home have become dysfunctional.  Every timepiece has broken; even your computer and cell phone are displaying error messages instead of the correct time. Minutes and hours are marching onward, yet you have no idea ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/smoother-transitions/ Fast-forward 2, 5, or even 20 years. Graduation caps are flying through the air as celebratory sounds of "Congratulations!" fill the air. Your beloved child has just graduated from college, a shining moment in your parenting journey. “Wow, the past 2 decades have been so easy!” you marvel to your friend. “Piece ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/expectations-are-they-realistic/ It happens at the most surprising moments.  A flash of inspiration bolts into our heart, and like Nike, the energy shouts, "Just do it!" Perhaps it was a sidelong glance at well-mannered children in another family, or even one of the articles on this site.  Every so often the burning desire ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/everything-versus-something/ It could be early in the morning, late evening, or anytime in between when a problem crops up. The only consistency is that the challenging issue always rears its head at the wrong time- no matter what the clock is reading! From a lost shoe, being teased or hurt by ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/6-steps-to-problem-solving/ NLD: Nonverbal Learning Disorder You know him. He’s the one that sits at his desk during recess, reading rather than going outside to play ball with his classmates. She’s the one that makes foolish remarks when she’s with friends. She’ll say something that is exaggerated or irrelevant to the ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/nonverbal-learning-disorder/ You have just settled yourself in front of the computer to read an interesting article (perhaps one of mine!) and then you hear the two words which grate on your nerves: "I'm bored!" It is understandable that you feel frustrated. Aside from being interrupted, the reason for the interruption ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/im-bored/ Should Parents Snoop on Their Kids? By: Mona R. Spiegel, Ph.D. The Question Our primary job as parents is to keep our children safe. Are we permitted to “snoop” on them in order to protect them from harm? Should we read their diaries, listen to their phone conversations, and check ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/snooping-on-kids/ Thank you for downloading the free Paper Doll and Dot-to-Dot ebooks! I hope you and your child enjoyed them:) Additionally, please let me know what kind of activities you would like to see from RaisingSmallSouls in the future! http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/activities-for-children/ A Personal Story By: Mona R. Spiegel, Ph.D. My birthday is November 28th. This date has influenced my view of family celebrations. As you may realize, November 28th occurs in close proximity to Thanksgiving, and at the apex of the pre-holiday shopping season of Chanukah and Christmas. My ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/family-celebrations/ Choices! If I had to summarize the moral of RaisingSmallSouls.com’s popular ‘Animal School’ movie, I would borrow the words of King Solomon: "Educate a lad according to his way; even in old age he will not depart from it." While there is a plethora of educational strategies that aid us in ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/choices/ EATING WITH CHILDREN by: Mona R. Spiegel, Ph.D. "My Family Coach" Helping Women and Their Families http://www.myfamilycoach.com Introduction: What’s for Supper? Long before your child comes home and asks, “What’s for supper?” you’ve already asked yourself that question. You might have had an idea or two, but then you started to ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/eating-with-children/ Are children mini-adults? Can we simply soften our manner of adult dialogue and converse successfully with our children? In order to have effective communication between with our children, we must understand the language of children. What is that language? Observe a young child for several hours (or even ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/is-your-child-a-mini-adult/ In case you haven't heard from me in a while, no, I wasn't ignoring you! However, I had emergency surgery and was in the hospital for several days last week, and now I'm starting to get back to myself. (Nothing life-threatening, thankfully, just a very painful experience.) I'd like ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/recommended-reading/ Self-Esteem, the Industrial Revolution, and TV If you were asked “What are the three top characteristic you hope to imbue in your child?” there’s a good chance that self-esteem would be one of your answers. A healthy level of personal esteem will allow your child to seek achievement, solid relationships, and have ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/self-esteem/ There was an old lady who lived in a shoe... She had so many emails she didn't know what to do... As the RaisingSmallSouls family grows, my inbox is growing. And growing. And GROWING. AND GWOWING SOME MORE! I don't want to ignore anyone. I wish I could give advice and support ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/too-many-emails/ How can we teach our children to feel gratitude? The simplest things, the ones we take for granted, ought to be appreciated. For example, having hands that can function effectively is a great starting point. A teacher I know asked his class to avoid using their hands for five minutes ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/gratitude/ "How many times have I told you to do such-and-such?" It's the familiar prelude to a power struggle between parent and child. One of the most common complaints heard from parents is that their children don't listen to them. "I have to scream before he will even pay attention to me!" ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/confrontations-with-children/ Due to the feedback that you have given me, I would like to revise the fish slide in the Animal School movie so that no hard feelings are generated. The slide currently reads as follows at the beginning of the movie: The fish quit school because he was bored. To him, all ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/fish/ As an Early Childhood educator, I have learned that ATTENTION is a survival need- not a manipulation of adults. After World War II, orphans living in a clean, hygienic and basically attentive facility did not thrive. In fact, almost half of infants died, despite apparently having all basic needs met. It ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/attention/ No other time of the day in our child's life is as emotionally charged as bedtime! Bedtime can be considered a significant 'trunk' of your child's 'tree'- from where many other 'branches' - or issues - emerge. Well-rested children will perform better scholastically, be in a happier frame of mind, and generally ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/bedtime/ Imagine with me for a moment that you have just arrived home from a party. "Honey, I'm so hungry, do we have anything good to eat?" you ask your spouse. "Hungry!" Spouse exclaims, "How could you possibly be hungry; you ate tons of food at the party!" Or, how about this scenario: "Sweetheart," you ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/reflecting-versus-reacting/ So, you've spent an enjoyable afternoon on a pleasant trip with your son or daughter who is going through a challenging period. (See www.raisingsmallsouls.com/tough-times for more information about creating a pleasant outing during a stressful time.) What else can you do now to strengthen the parent/child bond and help him/her overcome ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/getting-through/ My friend Stacie runs a website about children and sports, and she was sweet enough to allow me to share this thought-provoking article with you.  Enjoy! ~Ellen 7 Good Reasons to Get Your Child Involved in Sports Encourage a Healthy Lifestyle Making exercise a part of your child’s life teaches your child the ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/sports/ My husband just shared this thought with me, and I found it hit home in my heart in a poignant manner, so allow me to share it with you. When an archer takes hold of his bow and arrow, the closer that he is able to draw his arrow inward, the ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/a-thought/ Lately I've been getting more requests for advice geared towards teenagers. This article is most applicable to teens, yet can be tailored to any age child. What do you do when really tough challenges arise with your child? What if your son is hanging out with a shady group of friends or ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/tough-times/ Once upon a time in the future, when I form a utopian community that benefits all types of children, I will enact the following law: The fabulous book by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish entitled "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen, And Listen So Kids Will Talk" will be required ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/law/ If you're anything at all like me, you often read about parenting techniques... you even take the time and energy to think about exactly how you'd like to implement them with your family... and then- boom!- something sets you off and you forget all about the wisdom you have recently ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/low-frustration-tolerance-stress-relief/ There's Daddy-Guilt as well, however since the majority of my subscribers are women, for the sake of simplicity I'll stick to the feminine gender in this article:) How often does Mommy-Guilt hit upon you? For some of us, it's only a few times a month, when we realized that we parented ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/mommy-guilt/ There have been a lot of comments and questions from parents of special needs children recently. Honestly, as RaisingSmallSouls is a personal website that I have developed about a subject I am passionate about- raising emotionally healthy children- I am not qualified to begin to answer some of the questions regarding ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/resources-for-special-needs-children/ Do you frequent any parenting forums? Would you like to see a RaisingSmallSouls parenting forum? If you don't know what a forum is, here is a new one of my favorites, specifically for moms: www.momstalkforum.com. If you would like to see a forum, what categories would be of interest to you, in ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/would-you-like-a-parenting-forum/ Seven-year-old Joey likes to play guessing games. Each evening, when I put the kids to sleep there's this period of time they've named "hugs and kisses time". Joey and Jacob share a room, however they alternate going to sleep in the master bedroom, and my husband or I move that ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/guessing-games/ Well, I haven't even turned the light on in my office as I was not planning to do much more than check my email, when I realized that there are some important updates you need to know about RaisingSmallSouls.com! The first one is really cool, if I may say so myself, ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/purple-handprint-and-missing-numbers/ Yesterday we went to JC Penny and took family pictures! I had been planning to take my sons for ages... yet I kept procrastinating. Yesterday my husband had the afternoon off, so I made an appointment, dressed the boys in solid-color T-shirts, and off we went! I had a coupon, so ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/smile-family-portraits/ Let’s face it; drugs and alcohol have the ability to rob you of your children. Access to illegal substances is absurdly simple for teenagers. Clearly, young lives are being ruined by the thousands as a result of these harmful addictions. Think of the time you have already put into raising your ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/say-no-to-drugs/ My 5-year-old did this in school today, and came home and we did it all afternoon! It's a great activity for parents to do with bored school-age children, and the supplies are all handy! Give a child a regular plastic disposable cup, and some markers. The child colors the sides and the ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/plastic-cup-activity-for-children/ I will never forget the man whom I met at my in-law's home last year. Standing at six-feet tall, with broad shoulders, and a hardened military expression of seriousness on his face, he appeared intimidating- even to me. Then I heard that he used to work in a top-secret government ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/how-to-end-temper-tantrums/ There is a new box at the bottom of the articles throughout RaisingSmallSouls that will allow you to subscribe to comments for that particular article. This feature will come in handy when you ask a question- you'll be notified when an answer has been posted! Or, if a certain parenting ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/subscribe-to-comments-new-feature/ "Twenty-Four-Hours of Peace-&-Quiet!" To download your free copy of the unique coloring book consisting of optical illusions and geometrical shapes, follow the link below. P.S. Please feel free to pass the link on to your friends:) http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/coloring.html P.S.S. Scroll down to read other parents' feedback, and please leave yours! ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/24-hours-of-peace-quiet/ Well, I've been neglectful in this category- for good reason, I've been focusing on the rest of the site:) We got back from home from Florida 2 weeks ago, and that was an incredible vacation! There was a 'day-camp' in the hotel that Joey (7) and Jacob (5) really enjoyed. Ben ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/what-do-you-write-in-a-personal-blog/ In recent years, we have seen the trend towards more fathers having greater involvement in their baby's lives. Two or three generations ago, the idea of a Dad preparing formula for his infant would have been a bit unusual. Now, dads worlwide are involved in their baby's care nearly as ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/fathers-and-babies/ The other day I met a wonderful family staying nearby here in Florida; six well-mannered children from age five to twenty, and two truly dedicated parents. "I don't go to sleep until my children are in bed," Mr. B. remarked. "Your kids are teenagers!" I exclaimed. "How can you possibly consistently ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/bedtime-rules-for-parents/ The truth is that I did not intend for RaisingSmallSouls.com to be a personal blog. However I've had great email conversations with several viewers of "Animal School" that left inspirational comments... and therefore I feel this category is justified in maintianing contact with my visitors:) We're leaving in an hour to ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/were-off-to-florida/ I enjoy getting to know RaisingSmallSouls' visitors and subscribers better, and I'd like to know what I can do to help your family! Feel free to tell us about your child or children, and ask your most pressing parenting questions over here. I will do my best to answer your question in ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/parenting-faqs/ “It’s not fair!” is one of the most common outcries of children in every age bracket. Children will invoke the perceived power of the ‘fairness doctrine’ at any opportunity that does not turn out to their liking. Oftentimes they will succeed in intimidating their parents to change their minds by demonstrating ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/how-to-treat-your-different-children-fairly/ "A sorrow shared is a sorrow halved." an ancient quote proclaims. Parents can derive much comfort from the universality of sibling rivalry. At the very beginning of time, the first two siblings, Cain and Abel, did not get along with each other, and as a result Cain killed his brother! Fortunately, ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/how-to-eliminate-sibling-rivalry/ How did you learn about the value of money? Did you learn from a lecture of your parents or teachers, from reading about it, or, from personal experience handling your own finances? Your children are constantly absorbing various messages regarding money; the messages you radiate as well as the attitude of ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/teaching-children-about-money/ Children, just like adults, often perform better when there is a proverbial carrot dangling just ahead. A bit of motivation can work wonders to guide your child towards better behavior or improved schoolwork. The old fashioned chart is the generally the simplest method for you and your child to gauge his ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/how-to-motivate-your-child/ RaisingSmallSouls' popular movie, "Animal School" has generated a flury of comments. Educators and parents have raved about the moral of the story, and it has inspired many to take a deeper and more individual look at their students and children. Scroll Down to Read and Post Comments! ***New!!! Animal School is now ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/animal-school-feedback/ What could possibly be better than reading with your child, having fun, and building their self-confidence... all at the same time?! Personalized books let your child feel special every time you turn the page and read about their character. It definitely feels good to have your name in print... even ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/reading-having-fun-building-confidence/ Living in a society in which our highest government officials and largest corporations are routinely found to be dishonest, how can we teach our children to be truthful? A recent Reader's Digest article exposed that over 60% of high school students admitted to plagiarizing. (And those are only ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/truthful-chilren/ My five-year-old son brought home a picture of a fruit tree he had decorated in school, with the following poem that I feel compelled to share with you: Dear Mommy and Daddy, When a farmer plants a tree, He toils and toils endlessly. He works all day and sometimes through the night, To assure that ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/dear-mommy-daddy/ Some of the deepest and most inspirational lessons that we have learned were a result of observation, rather than lectures. It's simple psychological math that actions always speak louder than words. Weaving lessons into everyday life, especially fun activities like a game that your child chose to play with you, is ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/playing-and-learning/ What is "quality time" and why has it reached paramount importance in parenting magazines? Quality time is when you spend time focused on your child. It is not the time that you pay the bills, clean the house, or run errands. It is not the time that the ringing of the ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/quality-time-with-your-child/ What is every parent's automatic reaction to becoming aware of a problematic issue with their child? Yes, they try to fix it. Immediately! Sometimes it is a good idea to stop and wait. Get to know your child better, and perhaps let several hours or days pass by prior to ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/discovering-the-root-of-the-problem/ Today my nearly-seven-year-old son showed me his first loose tooth. For one short second tears came unwillingly to my eyes as I recalled the time a spoon clinked against his first tooth when he was a baby. That was just yesterday, wasn't it? Where did all of ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/parenting-in-the-fast-lane/ At a parenting seminar I recently attended, someone asked a room full of parents, "What is the most difficult aspect of raising successful children?" The most memorable response drew a lot of laughs; "The first twenty-five years." Indeed, there are numerous challenges we parents face from the toddler times through their teenage ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/childrens-emotional-bank-account/ Imagine that you are looking for a ride to Los Angeles. You meet someone who says that they have room in their car to give you a lift to California. "Exactly where in California are you going?" you ask. "Oh, we're not sure. Just somewhere in CA,� he ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/do-you-have-a-parenting-mission-statement-why-not/ When communicating with children of any age bracket, less is more. Strive for simplicity in your instructions and teachings. Kids do not have the acquired ability to "cut to the chase" of an idea; they have not yet gained the maturity to sort the facts from the fluff. We ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/less-is-more/ How to harness the power of praise to build your children's self-esteem Raising kids with a healthy dose of self-esteem is one of the main goals parents have. In addition to a favorable attitude toward spending time with your child, which is the key to kids' self-esteem, a fair dose ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/praise-what-they-did-not-who-they-are/ There are modern parenting advisors who believe that punishing children is off-limits. They say that proper behaviors can be instilled in children without any punishments. However, punishment need not be defined as corporal punishment. Banning corporal punishment and hitting is a reasonable position. The only exception might be ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/the-golden-rule-of-punishing-kids/ An oft-heard subject of controversy is disciplining other peoples' kids. What do you do when your children have playmates at your home who are misbehaving? I don't think there is an easy answer to this difficulty. I have heard some parents advising that, "Whatever happens in my house is under my ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/home/ I once read an account of the typical conversations that occur between parent and child in the course of an average day. If a recording were to be made of the interaction between a parent and their child, it would look something like this: "Take your feet off the couch." "Food belongs in ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/a-typical-day/ Night has fallen, and a quiet and relaxing evening is approaching. At least, that's what we had imagined. The reality is that sounds of, "I need to go to the bathroom," and "my blanket fell down," and "We forgot to brush my teeth," are wafting down the stairs. Sigh. After ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/7/ The other day, I was at an interesting parenting seminar. The psychologist giving the lecture opened the session by asking us what the single most important aspect of parenting is, regarding raising children with a healthy self-esteem. Assorted answers rang through the crowd. "Give 'em lots of hugs and kisses." "React to their good ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/healthy-self-esteem/ All normal and healthy parents naturally love their children. Loving our children is an instinctive parental response. We brought the child into the world, and do so much for the kid, obviously we love them. Well, most of the time, that is. Sometimes when we feel disappointed or ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/testing-photo-upload/ Recently, I was at the home of a dear friend, and I heard her say to her son, “Sweetheart, if you don’t sit straight I am not going to give you any soda.” Since it was not in my own home, it was very simple to think of a better and ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/a-recent-photo-of-ellen/ "The only failure is not trying." As long as you have not given up, you are still in the game. Continuing to try, no matter what the results of your attempts, makes you a success! The very fact that you are on reading RaisingSmallSouls.com means that you are still playing to ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/this-is-a-recent-photo/ Have you ever flown on a commercial airplane? Are you aware that the majority of the time the airplane does not travel on its specific flight course?! How do planes reach their destination, when factors such as air currents and whether constantly move it off course? Obviously, the pilot's navigation results ... http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/hello-world/