Inside: Self-worth is important to your child’s mental health and happiness, but some types of praise can actually hurt their self-worth. Here are the best compliments for kids to lift them up. One night while my four kids were in various stages of bathing, showering, or getting ready for bed, I took a sweep through the house to corral the never-ending stream of clutter. As I bent down next to the couch to scoop up a pile of LEGOs, something on the couch caught my eye. A streak of vivid purple. As I slowly stood up, my eyes followed the trail of purple to where one of our cats was lying on the ..read more

Inside: Stop playing boring games like Candyland and Hi Ho! Cherry-O with your child—and play these fun and educational board games for 3-year-olds instead. As just about anything you attempt to do with a 3-year-old, playing a board game with them requires a Mother Teresa level of patience. Between a preschooler’s short attention span and their inability to sit still longer than a few minutes, you’ll be lucky to get through a whole game with them. As an added bonus, they have an almost gleeful disregard for following the game rules. And yet, skipping board games with your preschooler isn’t the ..read more

Inside: If you and your child have been butting heads, you need this positive morning routine for kids. The best part? It takes just 10 minutes. Soon after my youngest turned five, he set something into motion that nurtured his emotional wellbeing in a powerful way, although I didn’t realize it at the time. One morning after he’d eaten breakfast and his big sisters were still sleeping, he picked out two children’s books and came into my bedroom where I was catching up on email. “Will you read these to me?” he asked in a small voice, almost like he was preparing himself for the “I’m sorry, I’m ..read more

Inside: Here are the best (and most practical) date night ideas for parents to make you feel closer, even when you’re busy and tired. Bonus: Most ideas in this list don’t require a babysitter. After our fourth child was born, my husband and I didn’t have a date night for nearly a year. Which sounds like it could be a recipe for marriage problems. Because couples who never take time away to be alone tend to feel disconnected. They might start snipping at each other over small things. They might forget why they started on this wild, chaotic parenting journey together and begin to feel more like ..read more

Inside: If hugs with your child feel rushed, surprise them with a new kind of hug to make them feel loved. Here are 21 sweet and silly hugs to try. One morning after my 10-year-old had woken up and was fixing herself a bowl of cereal, I walked up and said, “Hey, can I have a hug?” She looked up at me, one corner of her mouth lifted. “What?” I asked. “Mommy,” she said, fully smiling now. “You already gave me a hug.” “I did?” She laughed. “Yeah, like two minutes ago!” “Oh,” I said. And then a hazy memory of a quick good morning hug swam back into view. Bonus: As a bonus for joining my weekly new ..read more

Inside: Your child needs to feel your unconditional love every day, beyond a routine “I love you” at bedtime or a rushed good morning hug. Here are 100+ simple ways to show your child you love them—even when you’re busy and short on time. One night after my kids were in bed, I came across a quote from a doctor and author who specializes in childhood development and trauma, and this one simple sentence hit me right in the gut: “Love felt by the parent does not automatically translate into love experienced by the child.” Dr. Gabor Maté In other words, even though I love my children with every f ..read more

Inside: When you ask your child one of these funny questions for kids, you’ll laugh together, which is one of the best ways to strengthen your bond. As parents, our daily lives are full to the brim, if not overflowing. We pinball from cobbling together dinner with whatever’s left in the fridge, to helping with math homework, to tackling the neverending pile of laundry—and the list goes on. That doesn’t leave a whole lot of time for connecting one-on-one with our kids and simply enjoying our time together. And yet, if you want to nurture a loving parent-child relationship that will last into th ..read more

Inside: Want your family to feel closer? You need the best games for family game night. These fun family board games are loved by kids and parents. The right game for family game night can bring your family moments of pure delight, shared giggles, and an even stronger connection. But the wrong game can leave you scratching your heads and feeling disappointed. Whether it’s a new-to-you game with confusing directions, one that doesn’t work for your family’s age range, or one that turns out to be a total dud, some games can make your game night fizzle out faster than you can say “Colonel Mustard ..read more

Inside: Some words of encouragement for kids won’t actually work to motivate and inspire your child. Here are the best research-backed encouraging words for kids. One weekend afternoon, I was reading on the couch while my 8-year-old had flopped on her belly on the living room rug, head bent over a notebook and a pencil in hand. Out of nowhere, she picked up her notebook and threw it across the floor. “Ugh!” I looked up, surprised. “Hey,” I said. “What’s wrong?” She let her head drop to the rug, her voice muffled. “I’m trying to write this stupid story, and I can’t get it to come out like I see ..read more

Inside: Forget the typical ho-hum board games for kindergartners. Instead, play these educational and fun board games for 5-year-olds and 6-year-olds. Any time my kindergartner catches me sitting on the couch for more than a few minutes, she walks up to me with anticipation lighting up her face and asks, “Can we play a game?” And when she zips off to our game closet to pick out a game, I send out a silent note of gratitude to my former self. Here’s why: A few years ago, I’d had it with the likes of Candyland and Hungry Hungry Hippos. Those typical board games for kindergartners require little ..read more