Foster W. Cline, MD and Jim Fay first coined the term “helicopter parent” in their 1990 book, “Parenting with Love and Logic: Teaching Children Responsibility”. Helicopter parents were listed among their “ineffective parenting strategies”. Helicopter parents are described as parents who hover over their children constantly, from the playground to first day of college (and…
parenting
25 ME TIME IDEAS FOR MOMS
I love being a mom. It’s the most rewarding job I’ve ever had. BUT, after a long day of listening to screaming kids, having snotty noses wiped on my shirt and hearing the word “why?” for the hundredth time, I NEED to recharge my batteries. I need some Mommy Me Time. As I was brainstorming…
When Exhaustion Sets In
Sleep is one of those things that you just agree to give up when you become a parent. You tell yourself that you’re ready for it. You make the necessary jokes, familiarize yourself with the super late night TV lineup, and you just agree to forego sleep for a while. It’s as easy as that. …
Finding Me
Finding Me. On my very first day of graduate school, many years ago, I completed a quick self-assessment tool. The intention of the exercise was to get us thinking about how we see ourselves in relation to others; to evaluate where we fit in and where we hoped to go from there. It was simple. …
HOW TO COPE WITH MOM GUILT
One mom recently discussed with me the emotional roller coaster that is leaving your baby behind for the first time. She wanted to know how to get some me time in without disrupting the routine. Not for a big weekend away, just for a couple of hours. We’ve all been there. Trusting another person to…
Everybody Needs a Hero
A group of moms was discussing Mother’s Day, comparing sleep-ins, brunches, and time spent alone. For the most part, it seemed like everyone had a great day all around. But, at some point, the conversation shifted. Suddenly, the focus became about the fact that daddies tend to become the hero on the weekends. Daddies come…
Always Come Prepared
Always come prepared. The minute we become parents this becomes our new motto. Always come prepared. With first babies, we are over-prepared most of the time. The diaper bag is full. Every possible scenario is considered and all necessary items are stowed away in the over-sized bag should we meet with any of those scenarios. …
Family Breakfast
Family Breakfast – why it is important in our home. “I just love family breakfast! It’s my favorite time.” -My four year old daughter Given my husband’s hectic work schedule, and the fact that our kids are famished at the very early hour of 5pm each day, family dinner doesn’t happen much around here. I…
The Comparing Game
When I had my first child I loved to find other mom’s with babies my daughter’s exact age and grill them with every question imaginable. Some of the questions went like this: When did your child walk? Can they drink from a cup? How many words are they saying? With every answer I would fall…
Your Biting and Attitude Questions – Answered!
Why does my child bite? Why does my child have such an attitude? Thanks for submitting your questions this past week. Q: Why do some kids bite each other? A: Biting can be a problem for some kids as they start teething and many children go through a biting phase between the ages of 1 and…
