by Susie Windle | May 6, 2015 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play, Your Child's Brain
Adults can easily forget that kids learn a lot through physical play. Physical play might involve roughhousing, wrestling, climbing, swinging, and running around. All children need this kind of play, and participating in it is one of the ways kids can learn to solve...
by Susie Windle | Apr 29, 2015 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Sensory Information, The Importance of Emotions, Your Child's Brain
A nurturing relationship involves open, honest communication, and that kind of communication involves listening as well as talking. We need to listen to our children. When we listen, really listen, we show our children that we respect them and that we care about their...
by Susie Windle | Apr 8, 2015 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Parents: Practice Self Care, The Importance of Emotions, Your Child's Brain
Thinking clearly is a lot easier if we have a way to keep our emotions in check. Some researchers refer to this as “separation of affect.” This ability to detach from emotions caused by frustration is a skill that allows people to think through solutions to problems...
by Susie Windle | Apr 1, 2015 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, The Power of Play, Your Child's Brain
Children love it when a parent will play with them, and child-led play builds a strong emotional bond. When children lead parents in play, opioids—the natural chemicals that give us a general sense of well-being—are activated in their brains. Child-led play has been...
by Susie Windle | Feb 11, 2015 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, Your Child's Brain
If we can instill good judgment in children, they will be more likely to make healthy choices when we are not around. Simply getting them to be obedient lasts only as long as we are in the room because it doesn’t help them understand what to do in new, novel...
by Susie Windle | Jan 14, 2015 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, The Power of Play
When children and parents spend time apart during the day, adjustments are necessary when reconnection takes place. This reentry into each others’ lives can create some missteps because everyone is full of feelings remaining from their time apart. Everyone also has...
by Susie Windle | Dec 3, 2014 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Sensory Information
The holiday season is here, and it is often during this time that one personality trait stands out—perfectionism. The holidays are the time of year that seems to bring out the desire for everything to be “perfect”—creating the perfect meal, planning the perfect family...
by Susie Windle | Apr 2, 2014 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Your Child's Brain
The amount of time you spend face to face with your child matters. When you spend time face to face, you are sending the message that you delight in just being together. For your child, there is magic in your eye contact, smile, and voice. You are sending the...
by Susie Windle | Mar 19, 2014 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, The Power of Play, Your Child's Brain
At times, a child’s challenging behaviors are fueled by his or her need for emotional contact with you, rather than a desire for attention. The need for emotional contact is genetically programmed, so if a child feels that connection is lost, he or she may act...
by Susie Windle | Mar 5, 2014 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills
As our children become more independent, it is easy to stop paying close attention to them—but then we can miss their cues about what they need. It is important for children to develop a sense of independence, and at the same time it is still important for parents to...
