by smaclaughlin | Sep 3, 2021 | communication, discipline, emotional intelligence, family, handling meltdowns, positive parenting, problem-solving
You’re ready to get out and enjoy some time with your family. You make a plan, get organized, and prep everyone for your outing and then—there’s a stick thrown in the spokes. Maybe it’s a small thing you can manage quickly, like a poopy diaper or a shoe tying battle....
by smaclaughlin | Nov 8, 2020 | cooperation, family, positive parenting
It has been a difficult time. I could be talking about the past week, few months, year, or entire presidential term. If you are suddenly feeling like I should stick with parenting and not “get political” kindly see yourself out. Everything is political,...
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 16, 2019 | advocacy for children, emotional intelligence, family, fatherhood, gender bias, holidays
And moms, too. Raising kids comes with plenty of conflicting information and no real map or guidebook (thought I’m currently working on changing that!). We know so much about how children’s brains grow and develop. The question is no longer the binary: “nurture...
by smaclaughlin | Jun 15, 2017 | books, family, fatherhood, humor
Sometimes you just want to sit back and relax and read a sweet little book about fatherhood. Sleepless Nights and Kisses for Breakfast: Reflections on Fatherhood is the book for this! Mr. Bussola’s lyrical prose is equal parts shiny and sad. It perfectly captures the...
by smaclaughlin | Feb 18, 2017 | developmental expectations, discipline, family, humor, my life, perspective, poop
One of my Facebook friend’s posted this pic from her kids’ Bananagrams game a couple months ago. So great, right? I mean, “penis-poop-they-eat-toot-but” simply can’t be beat. The best part was that the mom was most upset that they spelled...
