Empower Your Children to Make Good Decisions

By Caron Goode

Lawrence J. Greene, author of Helping Your Child Make Wise Decisions, says children solve problems, bounce back from setbacks, and learn from mistakes by following their parents' actions. Simply stated, parents do it and children learn it.

Yet, that implies kids base lives on mimicking their parents' actions. I disagree. They will learn to stand on their own and be decision-makers in their own right if parents know how to empower them.   Read on...

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Book Review - Mary Sue & Cari: Music with Kids

Review By Anna Stewart

One of the benefits of child-centered parenting is that some adults get to use their talents to make quality art for kids. Good theater companies, musicians, dancers, magicians, and artists help cultivate children's minds as they bring in adult sensibilities, organization and proficiency. The results are often performances and recordings that are as satisfying for parents as for their kids.   Read on...

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Mother Arts - Family Traditions

By Anna Stewart

The first thing Beth E. does when she gets up in the morning is open the curtains and see what the day looks like. Everyday, it's the same view out her bedroom window but the scene is never quite the same. In October, the neighbor's tree usually turns gold first. In late February, she looks for the green shoots of the early crocuses. Beth goes through the house, opening the kid's shades too as she gently wakes them. And in the evening, earlier in winter, she goes through the house again, closing the curtains, like putting a blanket on over her family.   Read on...

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Inspired Grandparenting: Children and Compassion

By Elaine K. Williams

Perhaps one of the most innate gifts children possess is compassion—a natural ability to empathize, an ability to express kindness in a variety of uninhibited ways. I remember many years ago, when my two oldest daughters, about 10 and 8 years old at the time, found a dead bird in our backyard. They were quite upset, and along with two of their friends, decided that a burial would be proper. They clearly needed a ceremony to help them deal with the death of the bird. This ceremony allowed them to pause, connect to their inner thoughts and emotions, pray and connect with each other.   Read on...

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Bringing Holiday Joy to Your Family

By Rebecca Woulfe

Joy can be found in little children's hearts and souls and the holiday season can be lightened by looking for this joy in each child you come across. Remember that there is a child within each of us as well. Let that child come out to play, to dance, and to sing. This is a time of jingle bells and holly berries, a time for laughter and smiles and hugs.   Read on...