Practical help with discipline and boundaries, screens, building independence and resilience, and your child’s wellbeing. See every topic on the Resources page.
Think of a scaffold outside a building. Do you know what it’s there for? Scaffolding in construction serves as a temporary structure to support workers and materials during building projects. Scaffolding is a concept that is very useful in parenting as well. Scaffolding in parenting refers to the process of providing temporary support and structure
“The Gardener and the Carpenter” is a book written by Alison Gopnik that explores the contrasting approaches to parenting and child-rearing. Gopnik, a renowned developmental psychologist, argues that there are two main philosophies when it comes to raising children: the “gardener” approach and the “carpenter” approach. Which one are you? Alison Gopnik, a psychology and
Adolescence is a time of great change and development, both physically and emotionally. But what about the brain? How does it change during adolescence? The answer is: Alot! One of the most important things to understand about adolescent brain development is that it happens in different parts of the brain at different times. The limbic
While every parent knows that there is no such thing as a perfect parent, we still unconsciously strive to be one. The pursuit of perfection makes them feel guilty, shameful, and inadequate. To be a good parent, you don’t have to be perfect. Being good enough is actually the best. My earlier statement that we
Helicopters are fascinating types of aircraft. It can take off and land vertically, move in any direction, or remain stationary in the air due to its design. As helicopters hover overhead, helicopter parents supervise every aspect of their child’s life. Are you a helicopter parent? All helicopter parents share one characteristic: being overprotective. Some may
“Be careful!” Kids hear that from their parents a lot. How useful is it? Not very, actually. First of all, it does not teach the child to be careful. Rather, it only teaches them to be afraid. It gives them the sense that the world is full of danger and that bad things happen when
In 2013, Dutch children were named the happiest kids in the world by UNICEF. A few years before that, the Netherlands was named a prime example of childhood prosperity. In contrast, the U.K. and the U.S. ranked in the two lowest positions. When I read this, I wondered what the secret was. Stay tuned, and
During adolescence, children begin thinking about what they want to do when they go out on their own. They compare themselves to ideals, and they explore different careers. They also begin to make different life choices than they see their parents making. At this time, it’s healthy for them to set important goals for the
I’m sure you’ve heard of the rebellious adolescent. You either have one at home now or will soon. Do you know what causes adolescent rebellion? Raging hormones are not to blame. The teenage years can be strange and difficult for your child. He has been wanting independence since he was two. And now that he’s
Do you want your child to grow into an independent adult one day? Who doesn’t want that, right? How you can do that is most likely what you think you should do. It is common thinking among parents that If a child is too attached to his (or her) parents, he will have a harder
