In episode 1 of the Sunshine Parenting podcast, I talk with best selling author Christine Carter, Ph.D., about her book, Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents. We discuss two of the tips from her book, including “put on your own oxygen mask first” and family dinner. We also address a listener question about teaching children how to…
READ MOREToday is Day 9 of my Happiness Hacks series. On most days, one of my favorite times is when we sit down to eat dinner together. Our family dinners include lively conversation, usually spurred on by our discussion of “Highs, Lows, and Buffaloes.” My kids claim that we have the longest dinner of any of their…
READ MOREMost of us know the importance of family dinners: Kids who regularly eat dinner with their families are more emotionally stable, are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, get better grades, have fewer depressive symptoms, and are less inclined to obesity or eating disorders. It’s certainly a compelling list. But what can you do if your family dinner isn’t…
READ MORELeaving a soccer game last fall, a teammate called out to my son, “Great game today!” My son didn’t turn his head. He grunted something unintelligible, and he walked away. My husband and I were shocked. Did he not know that you RESPOND to a compliment by turning towards the person and saying, “Thanks!” or…
READ MOREI almost changed the title of this post to “Why my Kids won’t be Olympians,” since it seems appropriate this week. There are many reasons (mostly genetic and statistical) my kids won’t be in the Olympics, but one reason is that high-level sports commitments are just not as much of a priority for our family…
READ MOREAn activity we do at campfires at camp has been helpful in our family at getting our kids to communicate about both positive and negative events in their lives. For children who don’t normally share their struggles and keep them bottled up, it helps them open up. And for those who don’t naturally focus…
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