It’s tough to get kids off screens during the summer. Here are some tips. If you are parent, then your kids are either out of school or wrapping up. With three boys (ages 6, 11, and 14), my wife and I share the near universal struggle that parents have these days: limiting our kids’ screen time….
We love our screens, and certainly they offer many benefits. But there is a fundamental problem with screens that might be leading to some negative effects. I was recently asked by a tween girl at a presentation whether I wished that we didn’t have technology. No, I’m NOT anti-tech (as I blog this…yeah, I…
Although I’ve been blogging about the hooks of tech for a bit now, I want to do a little pivot. I have some last-minute gift advice just in time for the holidays! I blogged recently about this on my ApaCenter site, and I wanted to provide some similar advice on my Tech Happy Life…
So, the election is coming to a head…a grisly head at that. I suppose this is fitting since we are in Halloween season. But I, along with just about everyone else, will be glad when this is over. I prefer pretend scary to real scary. I’m old enough to say I can’t ever remember an election…
Every once in while, the issue of spanking reignites the controversy over whether it is an effective parenting practice or should be avoided. I blogged at length about this issue once before and laid out my case for how spanking is harmful to children. I was recently interviewed by Marty Toohey of the Austin-American Statesman in his article on…
I was listening to an audiobook by Dr. Jack Kornfield and Dr. Daniel J. Siegel entitled Mindfulness and the Brain, and Dr. Kornfield gave a quote from Nelson Mandela that really stuck with me. Now, I don’t recall the quote verbatim but it was something to the effect of “assume the best of others because you…
Another typical day at the Miller residence. Meghan has been critical of her 10-year-old son, Jackson, all morning. He was slow to get ready for school, left his pajamas on the floor, barely caught the bus, left his cereal bowl on the kitchen table, and left his partially completed homework that was due that…
You’ve probably heard this said countless times already, but it is true: Raising children can be one of the most rewarding and challenging endeavors we can ever undertake. Perhaps a slight asterisk here would be to clarify that raising kids to be happy, well-adjusted, productive adults is challenging. I guess one could say that…
By now, we’ve all probably seen the Gandhi quote, “Be the change you want to see in the world” on a bumper sticker or heard it elsewhere. When it comes to parenting, a slight twist that can work well as a mantra is, “Be the change you want to see in your kids.” Perhaps no where…
I previously blogged about savoring Thanksgiving and, in particular, the enjoyment that comes from spending quality time with friends and family. Much of our happiness in life is nested within our relationships. Basically, this means when we have strong positive connections, we tend to be happy, and when we have conflictual relationships or feel…