Problem Solving
Andrea Ramsay Speers
Good communication is important in a family, but we can get stuck when we’ve shared what our issues are, and the person we’re sharing with has a different view. [...]
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But Sometimes They Just Push My Buttons!
Andrea Ramsay Speers
Patience is an elusive concept for parents. It can either be something we have (or don’t – as in, “I don’t have a lot of patience for that behaviour”), something we are (or [...]
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Doing What Works (And Quitting What Doesn’t)
Andrea Ramsay Speers
People have a tendency to think that if something should work, but it doesn’t, that the next step is to then do that thing harder, more often or more intensely. (For example, [...]
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Happiness At Home: Parenting Your Teen With Less Stress
Andrea Ramsay Speers
How to Maintain Communication Even though teens need to separate from their parents during adolescence, they also need to know that the safety net of home and family is always [...]
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Goals Of Misbehaviour Part 2: Power
Andrea Ramsay Speers
Last month we began our quest to answer the question, “What are they thinking?!?” (“they”, of course, being our children). Recognizing that no behaviour happens by accident [...]
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Side-Stepping Power Struggles
Andrea Ramsay Speers
“You’re Not The Boss Of Me!” There probably isn’t a parent alive who doesn’t cringe or roll their eyes at the phrase “power struggle”. We’ve all been there – and some of us [...]
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Family Meetings:Your One-Stop Solution For Discipline AND Fun
Andrea Ramsay Speers
If you’ve ever had a job, you’ve probably attended a meeting. And although it may seem somewhat unusual to apply this same strategy to “running” your family, family meetings [...]
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Happiness At Home: Skills For Making Your Marriage Thrive
Andrea Ramsay Speers
Any marriage counselor will tell you that one of the most common problems observed when couples come for help is poor communication skills. People get into trouble in their [...]
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Decide What You Will Do
Andrea Ramsay Speers
We spend a lot of our time as parents trying to “make” our kids do things. Whether it’s making them hurry up, pick up after themselves, be polite, or make the bed, a lot of [...]
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Parenting Spirited Kids
Andrea Ramsay Speers
Some kids are just a little more than others. More energy, more tantrums, more persistence, more highs and lows…just more. If you’ve got a “spirited” kid in your family, you [...]
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