It’s important to raise a self-reliant daughter with a definite sense of who she is and could be. However, let’s not assume that a child who feels good will automatically do good.  According to the Search Institute, when parents help their children to be involved in community life and teach them how to serve in it, … More »

Jeremy Lin has a coach. So does Tiger Woods. Coaches support individuals through the process of achieving a personal or professional result. Mothers coach their daughters throughout their lives. They support them to be confident, courageous and fulfilled. They encourage them to be athletes, chefs, lawyers, nurses, musicians, or anything they want to be. The … More »

Raising a boy to be a fine man so he grows up as a supportive brother, husband, friend, and father, requires that parents help boys to develop qualities such as kindness, a sense of humour and a loving attitude. And mothers are the ideal people to teach their sons. Here is some advice to help … More »

In today’s society single motherhood, whether by choice, widowhood, or divorce, is common. I have many single mothers as clients who tell me that single motherhood is a joy, not a disaster. Through their love, they make sure their daughters feel that joy every day. In a very real way they put a different face … More »

Peers can have a profoundly positive influence on kids. Take, for example, the child who fast tracks through potty training because her peers in pre-school or daycare are no longer in diapers. Or, the child who supports her friend by cheering her on during a basketball game and sends the message that she is valued. … More »

In my private practice as a parenting coach I often see mothers who beat themselves up for ‘blowing it.’ They criticize themselves for not being perfect parents. They get anxious about not having enough time for the kids. They are concerned about not doing enough to support them with their studies, their friendships and their … More »

It’s not easy being a mother. It never was. But are today’s mothers more stressed than our mothers and grandmothers before us? Yes. According to Dr. John Gray in his book Venus on Fire and Mars on Ice, balancing work and home life has become a great challenge for today’s women. Working outside the home … More »

In the book I’m Not Mad, I Just Hate You! A New Understanding of Mother-Daughter Conflict, co-author Roni-Cohen Sandler notes that daughters often complain that their mothers are overly critical and demanding. While it isn’t necessary to be a friend to your daughter (moms need to be the grown up in the room), relationships can … More »

As our daughters continue to grow and dream about what careers interest and excite them, the pressures to help them achieve those goals continue to mount. We want our girls to have a voice, and be leaders in our ever-changing times. Whether they choose to be veterinarians, bankers, ballerinas, actresses, teachers, entrepreneurs, or stay-at-home mothers, we … More »

Kids can really push our buttons. We are often frustrated when they don’t behave the way they’re supposed to. Whether it’s the whining, or the bedtime hassles, or that ‘attitude’, or the sassy talk that comes every time you make a request, kids have a way of sometimes driving us crazy!! Many parents are unsure … More »