I'm So Glad You're Mine

Sometimes we jive a little bit easier with certain stages of our kids' development. Or certain personalities within the family. This can create competition, sometimes resentment... and all of it because of an innocent match in temperament and interests. A quick cure for this... a handwritten note to each kid once a month. Let them know I'm so glad you are MINE. Not because of anything you say or do. Not because of your grades. Not because of your interests or successes. But because you are you. And you are mine.

Child DevelopmentLauren PaceMay 27, 2019Social & Emotional DevelopmentComment

Labels. Matter.

My kid is CRAZY and STUBBORN will you watch him for the day? How does this make you feel... NOPE, run.

vs.

My kid is DECISIVE and has some serious LEADERSHIP potential, can you watch him for today? Yeah, I could do that.

Let's play a game, take out a paper and write down all the negative labels you might use for your "spirited" child. And then write a way to reframe a label positively next to it. I'll get us started.

Child DevelopmentLauren PaceMay 22, 2019temperament, spirited childComment

Our Home is a Social Learning Lab

Which means, conflict is normal, crying is normal, all the feels can be felt...

With this mantra and instead of trying to avoid them or feeling like you're FAILING because conflict and crying is happening... we WELCOME them. We work through them. We problem solve together.

Child DevelopmentLauren PaceMay 20, 2019Social & Emotional DevelopmentComment

He's ALWAYS a bear when...

What is a common trigger you need help preventing?

Some kids wake up HAPPY (Maelie) and some kids struggle to wake up (Charlie). I KNOW this about Charlie... mornings are hard. If we have to go somewhere he can't be rushed. He really needs time to eat, get dressed and go through those transitions. Okay, so I learned this about my son.

Do I "keep on keeping on" and "survive" this stage, it will pass? Or do I adjust things in his environment to make it more successful for him?! ding ding ding. We have a winner.

One thing I've been doing when I wake up and get Maelie breakfast... is make Charlie breakfast and then put it outside of his door before I carry on with my morning routine. So right when he opens his door in the morning, he has breakfast. He comes and finds me with his colored plate, and says with a huge smile, "Mom!!! I got a green one, my samwich."

It sets an entirely different tone for the ENTIRE day.

Lauren PaceMay 16, 2019Comment