by Susie Windle | Mar 25, 2015 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play
It can be hard to understand aggressive play: things like teasing, pretend fighting, mimicking of superheroes, pointing toy or pretend guns, horsing around in a rough-and-tumble way, and dramatizing battles for dominance and power. It can sometimes be difficult to...
by Susie Windle | Jul 23, 2014 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, Your Child's Brain
Sibling rivalry can be seen in children’s ordinary skirmishes over the TV’s remote control or a video game’s joystick. However, what about chronic physical or verbal abuse? And what if chronic physical or verbal abuse is directed primarily at one sibling? That’s...
by Susie Windle | Aug 21, 2013 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills
Having clear family rules about fighting that hurts is important. A good place to set these rules is at a family meeting. Family meetings model communication with words, not fists. Working out problems through talking rather than physical fighting is supported by...
by Susie Windle | Sep 12, 2012 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, Your Child's Brain
As emotional beings, we all need more than food and water to feel satisfied and healthy. Eric Berne, a psychologist, first coined the term “psychological hungers.” Three of the psychological hungers he first identified were stimulation, recognition, and structure....
by Susie Windle | Mar 28, 2012 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, The Power of Play
The appearance of aggressive themes in the pretend play and conversation of three- and four-year-olds can be a sign of developmental progress. As parents, we want our children to be appropriately assertive and independent, so we do want to foster the feelings that can...
by Susie Windle | May 4, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, The Power of Play
As a child learns to connect ideas and concepts, certain accompanying emotions may cause him or her to suddenly become disorganized. The child may become anxious or withdrawn or actually feel disorganized. You can help your child by tuning in to the specific emotions...
by Susie Windle | Oct 13, 2010 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play
Researchers are divided about the effects of violent video games on children. One view holds that a connection exists between children’s exposure to violence in the media and aggressive, violent behavior in youths. The advocates of this view believe that although...
