Blame/ Shame Game

As a Parent, Grandparent, Aunt or Uncle, somehow we feel that we can control how the children in our lives present themselves to the outside world.  We can't.  We  want kids to do things that help the grownups to look better in the world.  Sometimes, we become stuck in the blame/shame game.

My Parenting Strategies- Where do they come from?

Frogness

My parenting strategies are an eclectic mix of elements  that I have learned.   I feel  that I am an old soul and knew  many things from previous incarnations.   I was always coming up with "wise" ways of looking at the world and as a result, usually ahead of my time.

The Male Brain

Frog Mover

My husband and I raised two daughters with a lot of help from family,  friends and books. We now have a grandson and at 15 months, he is already quite different from our daughters. He is moving non stop. The other day in nursery, he began to run before he could walk steadily.  He makes sure that he waves to the staff before he leaves everyday. He is awesome.

Dad's- Where are they?

Interesting article in the May/June issue of the Scientific American Mind titled Where's Dad by Paul Raeburn.  For many years, it has been the chronic habit to blame Mom's for all of  our children's difficult behaviors. Guess what, there is new research that states that an engaged Dad whether, living at home or not, is a critical factor to their daughter's mental health.

Child Led Parenting- A New Way to Understand Parenting

Frogness

When we remember who we were as children, we remember that we had amazing ideas about how the world would work best. I was convinced that truth telling was important, my sister Robin strongly that being self sustainable through farming was the way and another friend talked about creative expression. We were often blocked in these ideas and  buried them.

Tapping for Kids

frog nap

You may have seen adults doing strange things like tapping on different parts of their face and body. This strange ritual  called Tapping helps to create a more relaxed state. We can also  teach our children this tapping routine so that they can help themselves to deal with tough emotions of  anger,  sadness and other emotions very quickly. It is an easy technique to learn and can be used over and over again. Please check out the following youtube video.

Tapping for Kids.

Smell The Roses

Herb Frog

We have forgotten to smell the roses and sit in the sun. There are so many warnings about the  challenges of being outside that we have chosen to stay inside. Of course, our children have taken our lead. They sit inside with their X Boxes, i phones and i pads and we complain about how sedentary they are. It is important for us to guide them in  developing habits of going outside for fun and healing.

The Success Sandwich- simple parenting strategy

Frog Talk

Sometimes, we have to tell our kids things that they do not want to hear. No matter what age we are, we don't like "critical" feedback. One helpful strategy is the Success Sandwich. I googled the term on line and  found links to  sandwich and sub shops.So  I don't really know where the term originated however I do know how it works. These are the  three parts to the strategy.

Dragonflies- One of the Miracles of Nature

Frog eyes

 In this  Ted Talk, the speaker  explores how miraculous dragonflies are. They can move each of  their wings in opposite directions. They  can fly forwards, backwards and  hover.  And they may be the new prototypes for flying cars..
Don't you feel that as a parent of any age child, that you need to be able to move in all directions to keep up.  I do.........

Miracles of Nature- Dragonflies and more/

TEd Talks

Truth Telling- As A Parenting Strategy

This is a Toad!!

When your children stare at you with that look that tells you they don't believe what you are saying.  You know that  piercing look. No matter how many times you try to say it, they still don't buy it. So how do they know that you are lying  and how much truth is it okay to say?

Are Your Children Different From The Way You Were?

Froggy Wisdon

Absolutely, today's children are different. It is not just about the way that they are being raised. They are unique. They are often smarter, quicker, wiser, better at electronics, and want to save the world.

Anxiety As A Way To Develop Intuition

Frog Song

I don’t think that it is possible to be a parent or a grandparent without being anxious. Signs of anxiety include:  a sense of dread, self doubt,  difficulty sleeping, jumpiness and difficulty making decisions.  And a certain level of anxiety makes us perform better at work and at home. The problem happens when there is too much anxiety and then it is awful

Cultivate Intuition as a Best Friend

Frog Sense

Sometimes it seems that we throw our intuition away as soon as we become parents. All of a sudden we need to read everything about the issue before we can make a decision. There are many things that we already know. It is helpful to be conscious but do not overlook what you already know.