Tag connection
Are Your Mornings Brutal?
John was fed up. Like many parents, he came to me looking for a quick fix. No matter what consequences or logic John put in place, his 6th grade son Ben just wouldn’t take responsibility for getting himself up and…
6 Survival Tips for Parents of Teens
In our work coaching hundreds of parents of tweens and teens over the years, we’ve uncovered six common themes that leave teens feeling a little more encouraged and willing to respect their parents. (And, if you’re a parent of…
Staying Connected With Your Teen
When kids become teens, they start acting like they don’t need us. If we don’t understand why they’re doing this, and figure out ways to respond gracefully, we risk building resentment in the relationship. It helps to understand that teens…
Is Your Discipline Too Tough, Too Soft, or Just Right?
Kids are struggling these days. There is more confusion about life and the pace of life keeps us scrambling. We are not as thoughtful as we would want to be. We tend to parent from a confused place of anxiety…
Announcing our new tagline!
Hey friends, We’re excited to introduce our new tagline to those of you who helped form it. With your fantastic suggestions regarding the value you find through Connected Families, we condensed and interpreted what you told us. Here it is:…
3 Secrets to Grow from Screen Time Madness to Gladness This Summer
Are you feeling a little fear and trepidation about your kids’ free time this summer and the issues it brings? Summertime means long stretches of downtime. It also means that computer, television, and smartphone screens are an appealing way to…
7 Peaceful, Powerful Ways to Connect with an Angry Child
Everyone would agree that loving our children is one of the most important things a parent can do. But sometimes expressing that love isn’t as easy as it sounds. Sarafina wrote about a breakthrough she had in learning to connect…
How I Turned My Parenting Fail into a Lesson in Grace: Sukay’s Story
Whether or not they verbalize it, kids often struggle with feeling like they are “bad kids” or that they are “naughty” when they misbehave. It can be tough for parents, especially in moments of frustration as our kids are acting…
3 Sure-Fire Discipline Tips for When the Heat is On!
We talk to parents about discipline a lot. We talk about our entire Connected Families Framework and how it underpins true discipline — how parents need to be safe, connect with their kids, coach them to be capable and wise decision-makers, and then help them take responsibility.…
The Secret to Effective Discipline
We all want to parent our kids well, and especially to feel confident as we discipline our children. But many parents, in their efforts to discipline their children, miss what we think is a key ingredient. The secret? Connection. From our…