Under the file marked “My Family’s Quirks” is the knowledge that granddaughter Joslin has a rough time saying goodbye. She loves her family and friends with such fervor that whenever it’s time for her to part from any of them, she struggles wit

Let's Talk Kids: "No Two Are Alike"

Aug 2nd, 2017 2m 39s

The Walters family has two sons, aged four and seven. These sweet boys look so much alike that I do a double take each time I see them. Their mom dresses them in matching outfits for holiday photos, and their parents hear a constant litany of h

Let's Talk Kids: "Guinea Pigs, Hermit Crabs, and Tree Frogs"

Jul 26th, 2017 2m 42s

Most expectant parents imagine they will be completely different parents than the ones who raised them. And then somehow, in the months following the births of their babies, words come out of their own mouths that they remember hearing a genera

Let's Talk Kids: "Don't Just Do Something... Stand There!"

Jul 19th, 2017 2m 33s

This one is for every adult who’s watched in frustration as a parent or child struggled in some way. Perhaps you’re a caring neighbor who sees the single parent next door work two jobs in order to provide for her kids. Maybe you’re a grandparen

Let's Talk Kids: "The Gatekeeping Game"

Jul 12th, 2017 2m 41s

Every pair of parents has a subtle competition going on most of the time. Even when they’re deeply committed to each other, daily life with a family provides no shortage of space for skirmishes. There’s a natural “gatekeeping” related to parent

Let's Talk Kids: "Internalizing the Rules"

Jul 7th, 2017 2m 50s

His face screwed up in remorse, Joe was one miserable five-year old. His buddy Brandon was crying and holding his sore arm where had Joe grabbed him to get the Lego guy they both wanted for playtime. A couple of years earlier, Joe would have be

Let's Talk Kids: "Mud Day"

Jun 28th, 2017 3m 4s

Most parents and grandparents remember with fondness their childhood opportunity to play in the mud. Building, slogging, lifting feet with a sucking sound, making mud pies—these sensual experiences of our youth call up pleasure in their remembe

Let's Talk Kids: "It's Paw-ty Time!"

Jun 22nd, 2017 2m 46s

Standing outside in driving rain at 4 am, I’m reminded of something I already know well: teaching someone to manage his bowel and bladder habits represents a significant investment. Eight-week old puppy Davy came to live at my house recently. W

Let's Talk Kids: "Dads in the Present"

Jun 14th, 2017 2m 32s

A long time ago, most Dads spent their days at work. When they got home to a welcoming home and family where a home-cooked dinner awaited, they may have heard about the day in the past tense: “Tommy cried all morning when you left.” “Dad, I bui

Let's Talk Kids: "Happy Birth-day!"

Jun 7th, 2017 2m 34s

Recently, I celebrated that universal holiday enjoyed by each of us who sports a belly button, reminiscent of our entry into this world. My birthday was nothing special. After all, each of us experiences that phenomenon on an eerily regular bas

Let's Talk Kids: "Think Today, Not Tomorrow"

May 24th, 2017 2m 41s

Parenting is a task focused on the future. The very nature of raising children is to launch their future lives. Parents want their babies to learn so they can succeed in preschool and get into Harvard so they can live happily ever after. Even i

Let's Talk Kids: "Parenting Along the Path"

May 17th, 2017 2m 37s

An old friend visited me recently. She’s raising a lovely 18-year-old son who I’ve known since he was an active toddler. During our conversation she shared enthusiastically about her son’s serious commitment which has led to his becoming a viol

Let's Talk Kids: "Those Dirty Liars"

May 10th, 2017 2m 38s

One morning, four-year-old Devon watches as big brother Andrew prepares to leave for school. Andrew realizes his backpack isn’t where he left it and races around the house frantically, desperate to find the supplies he needs for his school day.

Let's Talk Kids: "The Full-time Job"

May 3rd, 2017 2m 27s

He’s in the advertising business and she’s a nurse. But in truth, there is for both of them a different role that is never out of their focus, 24/7. They are parents to three pretty wonderful children, and those kids lie closer to their parents

Let's Talk Kids: "The Good Samaritan Impact"

Apr 26th, 2017 2m 21s

It was a truly lousy day at the Osman house. Every member of the family was at a different stage of whatever bug had infested itself in their respiratory tracts. After a long day of sniffling and whining, bedtime had finally arrived. Just as Mo

Let's Talk Kids: "Seeking Sleep"

Apr 19th, 2017 2m 27s

While their exhausted parents could fall asleep standing on their heads, frustrated four-year-olds and sobbing seven-year-olds fight bedtime to the death. What is it that kids have against sleeping? Most parents have faced this night-time frust

Let's Talk Kids: "No Instant Success In Parenting"

Apr 14th, 2017 2m 34s

Nowadays, we expect everything to be fast. Technology has enable us to expect our every effort to be met with an immediate result. And then we become parents. When we’re raising children, no effort is met with immediate results. Are you working

Let's Talk Kids: "Parents and Teachers Team Up"

Mar 29th, 2017 2m 32s

A family I know faces a significant health challenge with their daughter. This typically strong student is underperforming at school on account of her health. Her grades have suffered, adding to the stress for this family in an already tough si

Let's Talk Kids: "Parents' Stories"

Mar 22nd, 2017 2m 43s

When we become parents, we bring all the experiences of our prior lives into our work with our children. These stories quietly influence our decisions and patterns of behavior as we raise our kids. Some memories are of joyous occasions, but a f

Let's Talk Kids: "The Professional Noticer"

Mar 15th, 2017 2m 24s

Most parents will tell you that each of their children has a special gift that contributes to the health and wealth of the family. One offspring is the empathic one that senses when another family member is sad. One is the conversationalist who

Let's Talk Kids: "Parents' Hopes"

Mar 8th, 2017 3m 55s

The conversation I recently enjoyed with a small group of mothers was like many I’ve experienced before. Love shining in their eyes, they shared universal hopes for their children. The first mother shared her hope that her child would be health

Let's Talk Kids: "Facing Facts"

Mar 1st, 2017 2m 35s

Newborns gaze into their parents’ faces, seeking connection with those who care for them. Older babies look at adults’ faces to try to understand how to read an uncertain situation. Toddlers reference their parents’ faces to check in on how far

Let's Talk Kids: "Timing Is Everything"

Feb 22nd, 2017 2m 23s

Two-year-old Nick was deeply engrossed rolling his new cars along his race track when his dad called him to the table for supper. Once seated, he played with his food and kicked his feet, all the while glancing over at the abandoned race track.

Let's Talk Kids: "Dragons Can Be Beaten"

Feb 15th, 2017 2m 29s

“Brave is the new pretty.” I saw these words on a plaque for a girl’s bedroom recently, and it heartened me. I’m grateful to think that parents value the courage their children (male and female) will need to bring to our culture. Pretty early o

Let's Talk Kids: "The Limits Of Our Control"

Feb 9th, 2017 2m 23s

You can’t throw a stick at a group of parents without hitting one who’s actively pining for her children to be different from the way they are. While we love them the way they are (We do! We really do!), we can’t help wishing they would change.