by smaclaughlin | Nov 4, 2019 | communication, family, fatherhood, gender bias, marriage, motherhood, parenting
What is gatekeeping and what does it have to do with parenting? gate·keep·ingˈɡātˌkēpiNG/: 1. noun the activity of controlling, and usually limiting, general access to something. I first heard about gatekeeping from a mother for whom I worked as a nanny. She used the...
by smaclaughlin | Jun 28, 2018 | books, brain development, communication, cooperation, discipline, emotional intelligence, positive parenting, problem-solving
Three Simple Steps. Can it really be so easy? In a word: yes. First off, I LOVE that this book makes many positive assumptions about children: Your child is capable. She wants to listen and learn. He’s wired for empathy. She wants to help. He wants to feel like...
by smaclaughlin | Mar 12, 2018 | books, co-parenting, communication, marriage, positive parenting
Why is this so hard? Two people who are parenting together but don’t exactly see eye-to-eye is very common. Sometimes co-parenting relationships are strained, but even those who consider their partnerships really healthy can struggle (*raises hand*). We want to...
by smaclaughlin | Aug 7, 2017 | anger, communication, discipline, limits, mindfulness, my life, self-regulation
I’m thinking about rebranding my entire website and business to be entitled Kind AF. This makes sense as you may have seen we’ve quite embraced swearing at our house. I’m also itching for a vanity plate (ORDERED!) and a wrist tattoo (that will need to wait). And why...
by smaclaughlin | Jun 3, 2017 | communication, connection parenting, emotional intelligence, mindfulness, parenting, problem-solving
There’s one thing that many of us do that sabotages our relationships. Relationships with our children. With our parents. Siblings, friends, coworkers—really just everybody. It’s something that I happen to really, REALLY love doing. It leaves me feeling competent and...
by smaclaughlin | Sep 13, 2016 | balance, books, communication, parenting style, perspective, resources
I’m sure you’re near your limit on how Americans are terrible at parenting. There are a gazillion books telling us how to do it better, including many from other cultures such as Asian “tiger mothers,” and how to bring up a French “bébé.” I personally value an outside...
