Does Your Child Have Nature Deficit Disorder?

Is your child suffering from not spending enough time in nature? Richard Louv, author of Last Child In The Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, asserts that many modern children do. In fact, other medical and mental health experts and a growing body of researchers are also concerned about how little time our children [...]

Entertaining Kids Without Electronics

It has taken some time, but finally there is widespread awareness that electronic games are contributing to the poor health of our kids.  Studies are showing that kids in general are spending approximately 5 hours a day in front of the TV and/or game video screen. Sure some of these games can be entertaining or [...]

Gentle Discipline for the Older Child

Part of disciplining a child is about setting boundaries and also about contributing to the healthy development of your child’s character and value system.  As your child gets older and starts to assert his character, you may need to have some patience in order to adequately address disciplining situations.  Remember every word or action you [...]

Consensual Living

Consensual Living or CL is based on the notion individuals in relationship with each other can exist in a way that avoids conflict through fair and democratic recognition of each others needs and effective communication. CL is sometimes considered a parenting philosophy, where children are considered to have an equal say in family decision making.  [...]

The Benefits of Homeschooling

When many parents consider homeschooling their children they often think the longest about all of the challenges that would face them as homeschooling parents. Often times the hardships, perceived and real, dwarf the benefits. Parents wonder how they will find the time to homeschool. They may doubt their ability to be a good teacher or [...]

When They Won't Clean Their Room

A question from reader Jess: My husband and I are having a hard time getting our 7 year old to clean his room. His room gets so bad that I am afraid someone will kill themselves trying to walk through it. Yesterday we decided he needed to clean it but he just wouldn’t do. He kept [...]

No TV! Unplugged Fun

It’s raining (or snowing) cats and dogs. You can’t send the kids out to play, but you would prefer that they not zone out in front of the TV or the computer for the next five hours. Good for you. How can you keep your kids entertained on a day like this? One of the [...]

Why Spanking Doesn’t Work

A child misbehaves by poking, kicking or similarly assaulting another child. The parent grabs him by the arm and slaps him for hitting that child. “Don’t Hit,” they may even yell. Hmm…what’s wrong with this scenario? Spanking teaches children that violence is the solution to problems. Hitting teaches that we can and should use physical coersion to get what [...]

Raising Children With Positive Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is important throughout life, but it is in childhood when its foundation is laid.  It’s our job as parents to help our children build self-esteem.  We may do and say things that are bad for our kids’ self-esteem without even realizing it, so it is important to make a conscious effort to help them [...]

Natural Toys for Creative Play

During warmer months it is easy to send kids outdoors for some fun in the sun and fresh air. Bike riding, tree climbing, soccer, hopscotch, and dozens of other outdoor activities provide children with hours upon hours of creative play that is healthy for their bodies and mind. Less than favorable weather such as rain [...]

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