What do kids learn from dad? In the journey of life, father figures play a significant role in shaping the lives of their children. From teaching essential life skills to imparting valuable lessons, their influence often extends far beyond the boundaries of the family unit. Let’s look at 5 things that kids learn from interacting with their father. We caught my son in a lie. In three days, he ordered over $200 worth of digital “accessories” and fake money for an online game he plays. When my husband and I confronted him, he was well-prepared with a ridiculous lie about not even being on his tab ..read more

In today’s divisive world, it’s vital to start raising free thinkers instead of simply creating followers. By encouraging your kids to think critically and make decisions for themselves, you can help them develop the skills they need to become successful and confident individuals. Consider this complicated moral dilemma: You see a someone rob a bank, but then they give the money to a struggling orphanage. Do you call the police or let the orphanage keep the money? This question was asked to 150 study participants – with one caveat. Half of the participants were told that the majority of other ..read more

A few years ago I cured my anxiety without using medication. I hope some of these 8 tips can help others improve their mental health the natural way. Years ago when I was in pharmacy school, we were taught that anxiety medication was reserved for extreme cases. For people still suffered after therapy and life-style changes. Most anxiety medication increases your levels of free serotonin (which control your mood and a few other things). So, the thought is if you have anxiety that isn’t responding to lifestyle changes, then you may be lacking in this happy chemical. Fast forward to a few years b ..read more

Get your kids actually talking to you with these 21 deep Conversation Starters – specifically designed for kids. Also, learn why it’s so important to replace small talk with meaningful bonding moments. Start with these fun topics and questions. A normal after school conversation with my kids goes a little something like this: Me: Hi! How was your day? Kids: Fine (emotionless) Me: Did you do anything special? Kids: Nope (already trying to walk away from me) Me: What did you have for lunch? (throwing them a soft-ball question) Kids: I don’t remember (clearly lying to move past me) Me: Did anyth ..read more

It can be challenging for parents to know how to respond when your kid wants to quit a sport or activity – football, wrestling, piano, chess club or whatever they signed up for. Whether you have a teen or a child, it’s important to understand why they want to quit and to respond in this simple way. My oldest son – the natural people-pleaser- would walk across hot coals if he thought that is what my husband and I wanted. We wonder if he would even tell us if he wanted to quit one of his sports. On the other hand, my daughter complains from time to time about every activity she is in – even if s ..read more

Is my daughter a mean girl? These are 5 signs that your daughter may need you to intervene and promote kindness and empathy. If you have a daughter, you know that the answer to “Is my Daughter a mean girl” is, well, complicated. Your daughter (whether a teen girl or a young child) most likely has moments that make you wonder if she has a mean bone in her body. She truly is sugar, spice, and everything nice. On the other hand, there are some days where you can compare her to a hungry lion. Stalking her prey, looking for a moment of weakness, and attacking with force and vengeance. As a parent ..read more

These simple tips will help you romanticize your life and discover everyday beauty as you find joy in the small moments. If life is feeling a bit dull, try these effective ways to add color to it instantly. I used to feel like I was on a high speed train. Breezing past life with no way of slowing down. Years of trying to’ have it all’ as a working mom and reaching for the stars has taught me one surprising lesson. I don’t, in fact, want it all. Not even close. And, while I was trying to reach for those stars in the distance, I was actually reaching right past what I value most. You see, living ..read more

Learn 5 ways returning to your roots will help you be a more authentic person and a happier mom. Do you feel a shift back to your roots, too? I graduated college with a 6 year degree – bright-eyed ambition and a hefty weight of student loans. A year later, my husband and I decided to have a baby and we were quickly blessed with a son. The moment I first held that sweet baby in my arms I thought, “I don’t want to ever leave you.” And then came the swift realization that I had to return to work in just 12 weeks. At the time, I had a good job and a lot of debt. I wasn’t brave enough to take the r ..read more

Mom guilt is a lie. You have done nothing to feel guilty about. Let’s label it properly and understand why we feel this way so we can live up to our potential as a mother. As you read, consider this: An ashamed mom is mentally distracted from her mothering duties. An unconfident mom is not living up to her full potential. And a mom wrapped up in irrational thoughts is not fully-focused on raising strong, emotionally secure children. Recently, I felt intense guilt for missing my son’s baseball game to go to my daughter’s softball game. (And I would have felt the same guilt if I chose my son). T ..read more

Sports provide a fantastic way to get kids more active, making friends, and learning life lessons in teamwork and adversity – but sometimes parents ruin youth sports for kids. Are you accidently ruining youth sports for your children? As a coach, my husband says he has two goals for our own kids and the kids he coaches: Sign up next year Develop It feels simple and obvious, right? Enjoy it and get better. Sadly, many parents lose sight of this pretty quickly when submerged in the world of youth sports. I’ve noticed a recent trend of parents agreeing that youth sports have totally broken. And ..read more