by Susie Windle | Apr 19, 2017 | Parenting Playbook, Parents: Practice Self Care
As a parent, it takes some awareness to recognize when you feel emotionally low and need to refuel with the company of other adults. Because children count on grown-ups to provide emotional regulation for them as they learn to manage their feelings, this regulation is...
by Susie Windle | Apr 12, 2017 | Parenting Playbook, The Power of Play
Pretend play can be powerful because reality can be suspended. By suspending reality, children can level the playing field and even feel that they have the advantage. After all, though children can be very wise and insightful at times, there are some real frustrations...
by Susie Windle | Apr 5, 2017 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, The Importance of Emotions
The key to setting limits and staying connected to your child relates to emotions. Tuning in to your child’s emotional state is important if you are going to set a limit that is in conflict with your child’s wishes and desires. Empathize first. Reflect her feeling...
by Susie Windle | Mar 22, 2017 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook
Giving children choices rather than routinely telling them what to do engages the child’s higher thinking brain. By offering choices with consequences, your child will get some practice in planning and thinking through his or her choices as well as experiencing the...
by Susie Windle | Mar 15, 2017 | Parenting Playbook, The Importance of Emotions
Beyond the basic emotions—happy, sad, mad, and scared—humans are capable of experiencing a second group of higher-order feelings, such as shame, embarrassment, guilt, envy, and pride. These higher-order feelings are referred to as “self-conscious emotions” because...
by Susie Windle | Mar 8, 2017 | Parenting Playbook, The Power of Play, Your Child's Brain
Downtime is important for the healthy growth and development of your child. Your child’s brain needs breaks in order to process the incoming flood of new information. Being idle allows the brain to take what it already knows and then think, reflect, and change. Idle...
by Susie Windle | Mar 1, 2017 | Parenting Playbook, Sensory Information, The Power of Play
Children live through and learn from their senses. Sensory experiences—what they see, hear, taste, touch, and smell—connect their exterior world with their internal, affective world. The importance of this sensory learning may be why studies indicate that natural...
by Susie Windle | Feb 22, 2017 | Parenting Playbook, Sensory Information
Everyone understands their world through the five senses. When we give our children supportive messages through all of their senses, we communicate our unconditional love more fully. Using eye contact and smiles to send positive messages communicates good feelings....
by Susie Windle | Feb 15, 2017 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, The Importance of Emotions
Parents can help their children develop a sense of moral goodness with an accompanying feeling of obligation to do the right thing. The formation of “conscience” is promoted when parents nurture awareness and the development of feelings. Conscience is also promoted...
by Susie Windle | Feb 8, 2017 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, The Importance of Emotions
Sometimes, with the best of intentions, parents impede their child’s growth by putting themselves in the middle of their child’s problems. It is important to resist the temptation to steal our child’s struggles because we all learn from our mistakes. It is a gift to...
