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 | May 20, 2015 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play, Your Child's Brain
As parents and caregivers, we have the opportunity to help children create an open and receptive state of mind rather than a reactive one. Doing this is important because participating as healthy individuals in healthy relationships requires receptivity. Connecting...
by Susie Windle | Apr 16, 2014 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills
Real benefits come along with smiling. As parents, the positive signals that come with a simple smile are worth considering, practicing, and teaching to our kids. Here are a few of the benefits: When you think of things that make you smile, you feel better...
by Susie Windle | Aug 22, 2012 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Sensory Information, The Importance of Emotions, Your Child's Brain
How we all make sense of things and create meaning from our experiences depends on our state of mind. As parents, our state of mind importantly affects how we create the meanings tied to the behaviors exhibited by our children. Specifically, it’s important to notice...
by Susie Windle | Oct 19, 2011 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Your Child's Brain
Last week we discussed how understanding the development of the right and left sides of the brain could be beneficial in making choices as a parent. This week, we will discuss the vertical aspect. The lower areas of the brain include the brain stem and the limbic...
by Susie Windle | Jul 20, 2011 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions
When the excitement and novelty of having a new brother or sister wears off, the older child may begin to feel painful emotions. The older child can feel left out, second best, and invisible. These painful feelings are very real—real for the child on an emotional...
by Susie Windle | Feb 3, 2010 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions
Imagine a mother holding and gazing at her baby, perhaps pursing her lips to make a kissing motion. At that, her baby’s lips move inward. Mother then widens her mouth and lips into a slight smile, to which baby responds by relaxing his or her lips, hinting at a grin....
by Susie Windle | Dec 31, 2008 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills
As Lawrence J. Cohen says, there are a lot of great reasons to choose a “meeting on the couch” over a “time out.”* Whenever a problem of any kind arises, a meeting on the couch will allow parent and child to reconnect. Having “a problem” means that somewhere a...
