Visible Child

Methuselah Lived 900 Years

Today, a little departure from my regular Visible Child blog fare: a “blast from the past.” It happened quite accidentally. I was looking for an entirely different blogpost to share here, but then I ran across this one, and hey, maybe sharing this set of ideas and reflections is my fate today. I’m a big Methuselah Lived 900 Years

Visible Child Foundations 1: The What

Parenting groups and coaches are a dime a dozen these days. There’s even a plethora of “respectful” parenting philosophies or approaches to follow, all of which have some things in common, and of course, some differences. There are SO many words used to describe these approaches: positive parenting, conscious parenting, respectful parenting, connected parenting, gentle Visible Child Foundations 1: The What

Paving the Way to Take Risks

Most of us have been in a kitschy little gift shop that had some clever little sign or button or tchotchske that said “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” If you’re like me, it made you stop and think, at least for a minute. What a question. What would I Paving the Way to Take Risks

Peeing. It’s a Control Thing.

Okay, folks. I don’t know if it’s the planets or the moon or something about the water or something else entirely, but there seems to be a sudden run on children peeing on the floor “on purpose.” Yes, I’m including all variations on this theme such as peeing in closets, on toys, on carpets, in Peeing. It’s a Control Thing.

Hitting: It Depends

“So, when my child hits, I should block and say “I won’t let you hit?” Sometimes. It depends. “What if I can’t be there or I don’t get there in time? Should I tell them firmly that it wasn’t okay to hit?” Sometimes. It depends.  (just an aside…do you think they don’t know that it Hitting: It Depends

They Don’t Listen!

We’ve all said it.  We’ve all heard it (oh, the irony!)  We’ve all thought it.  It’s one of the most common complaints brought to professionals who support parents through challenges. They won’t listen!  How do I get them to listen? The good news is that the answer to this seemingly perplexing and persistent pattern is They Don’t Listen!

Putting Development First

If there is one thing that distinguishes my work and groups from others that may have overlapping philosophies or values, it is that I am a serious, devoted, and passionate developmentalist, and my work and advice is constantly and squarely grounded in child development–what we know about the path, trajectory, and idiosyncratic nature of children’s Putting Development First