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, [...]
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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 [...]
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Time To Think
Andrea Ramsay Speers
In the daily grind of making lunches, arriving on time, homework, and all of the other activities that fill our days, it can be easy to lose sight of our big-picture parenting [...]
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Whose Work Is Homework?
Andrea Ramsay Speers
If it was meant to be fun, it wouldn’t be called homework, right? But does getting assignments and essays done have to be such a battle? In fact, that’s the last thing it [...]
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When Parents Disagree About Parenting
Andrea Ramsay Speers
Who knew that parenting could be so hard on your marriage?? When we meet someone and children aren’t even on our radars, we don’t really know that our parenting styles might [...]
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Don’t Talk To Me Like That! How To Handle Back Talk
Andrea Ramsay Speers
Your kids probably tested the waters of talking back when they were younger, but you may be shocked at the quality –and sheer quantity — of disrespect you face now [...]
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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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Sometimes Kids Just Need To Hear No
Andrea Ramsay Speers
Nobody likes to disappoint their children. It’s hard to turn them down, crush their hopes, or deny them. And it’s particularly hard to deal with their unpleasant reactions [...]
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When Parents And Grandparents Disagree
Andrea Ramsay Speers
A lot of focus is put on how important it is for Mom and Dad to be on the same parenting page — which is definitely important — but a more delicate situation can [...]
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