Staying Mentally Healthy In Times Of Crisis
Andrea Ramsay Speers
These certainly are unprecedented times we live in. With the world on high alert and everything we take for granted in our daily lives, put on hold, now more than ever we need [...]
Read more Staying Mentally Healthy In Times Of Crisis
Family Meeting How-To’s
Andrea Ramsay Speers
Family meetings can be one of your best discipline strategies as a parent. Here’s what your kids learn from participating in family meetings: Listening skills Brainstorming [...]
Read more Family Meeting How-To’s
Lowered Expectations
Andrea Ramsay Speers
As parents, we set pretty high standards for ourselves. When we’re expecting our first child, we plan on having a child who listens, who is patient while we’re shopping, who [...]
Read more Lowered Expectations
Gratitude in the Time of Abundance
Andrea Ramsay Speers
It’s hard not to notice how much our kids have. One study found that not that long ago – only a few decades – the average child had 50 toys. By 1995, that number had jumped [...]
Read more Gratitude in the Time of Abundance
Out-Of-The-Box Encouragement
Andrea Ramsay Speers
We’ve talked before about how important encouragement is for kids. It contributes to healthy self esteem, it fosters courage and a willingness to make a mistake but try again, [...]
Read more Out-Of-The-Box Encouragement
7 Habits Of Highly Effective Communicators
Andrea Ramsay Speers
Many of us take our communication style for granted. We just say what we’re thinking. We might assume that what we’re thinking is “common sense.” Maybe we don’t give much [...]
Read more 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Communicators
Hands-On Parenting: Too Much Of A Good Thing
Andrea Ramsay Speers
I first became aware of the term “helicopter parent” many years ago. It was in an article by Amanda Robb in the July 2008 issue of O Magazine. The term was coined by former [...]
Read more Hands-On Parenting: Too Much Of A Good Thing
Listening To Our Kids
Andrea Ramsay Speers
How well do you listen to your kids? Many parents would pat themselves on the back when it comes to keeping communication flowing between themselves and their children. But [...]
Read more Listening To Our Kids
Making The Most Of Summer Birthdays (Even If It’s An Un-Birthday)
Andrea Ramsay Speers
As a winter baby, I never had to experience the disappointment of inviting friends to a party but having them all at the cottage on the appointed day. Or of not knowing how [...]
Read more Making The Most Of Summer Birthdays (Even If It’s An Un-Birthday)
Say What You Mean And Mean What You Say
Andrea Ramsay Speers
Following through as a parent is hard. Who among us has not threatened to cancel Christmas or a vacation, knowing full well that we’d never do it? Who hasn’t said to [...]
Read more Say What You Mean And Mean What You Say