parenting tips
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Parenting a Strong-Willed, Highly Sensitive Child: What You Need to Know
Parenting a strong-willed, highly sensitive child is challenging. We want to preserve their spirit while effectively parenting them. This is how to work with your child’s temperament, improve cooperation and celebrate who they are. If you have a highly sensitive child, people may describe them as being an “old soul,” intuitive, and shy. My daughter […] Continue reading
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Using Positive Discipline Instead of Scolding Your Child
Did you know that lecturing or scolding undermines the effectiveness of our parenting? Find out why as well as how to raise your children well without the use of scolding, chastizing or lecturing. I am a recovering serial lecturer. For the longest time, I tried to evoke a sense of urgency and good behavior in […] Continue reading
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How to Spark the Love of Reading in Teens
Do you remember when your little one used to curl up with a book for hours? Or how their face lighted up when you read “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to them (for the nth time). I know you miss those moments. Now that they’ve grown up, they spend most of their time on their phones. […] Continue reading
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Highly Sensitive Child Challenges: Supporting Your Child
Is your child emotional, reactive, shy, empathic, cautious, and sensitive to sensory stimuli? If so, you may have a highly sensitive child. Sensitivity is too often seen as a negative thing. “Stop crying,” “You’re being silly,” and “Just go and play” are phrases that highly sensitive kids hear all too often. But what if we […] Continue reading
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Toddler biting? This positive approach can stop it for good
When a toddler bites, often parents are filled with shock, embarrassment and concern. The good news is that there are many positive strategies to redirect and ultimately put an end to toddler biting. Continue reading
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The worst advice for new moms made right!
New moms are inundated with unsolicited advice. Recently, I surveyed my friends and colleagues to find out what they felt was the best advice for new moms. Whether you’re looking for the best advice for new moms to be or are a new mom yourself, here you will find what advice to avoid, how to reframe common forms of unsolicited parenting advice, and the best advice for you too. Continue reading
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Crisis School: How to find peace of mind when so much is uncertain
Back to school during a pandemic will mean living in a new normal. Find out how to navigate and balance crisis schooling based on educational psychology. The table was cleared, pencils sharpened, and fresh paper was ready. On the first day of my son’s remote schooling, I did some frontloading. “Some of your friends will […] Continue reading
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Research says this is how to use positive parenting from a position of strength
To many, positive parenting, also known as authoritative parenting, sounds like a misnomer. If you take away punishment, how will a child know who is in charge? Find out how to execute positive parenting from a position of strength and raise well-adjusted, responsible children. Last week, a question popped up in the Parenting from the […] Continue reading
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This is the Crucial Difference Between Positive and Permissive Parenting
To the unknowing eye, positive parenting can be mistaken for permissive parenting. This is because positive parents forgo the use of punishment and listen to their children’s feelings. Here is the crucial difference between the two parenting styles. My daughter and oldest son were in the throes of a heated argument when a store attendant […] Continue reading
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How to Stop Sibling Rivalry Using Unbelievably Simple Strategies
It felt like sibling rivalry had overtaken our household and my sanity. In enacting three very simple sibling rivalry solutions, peace has been restored and our family is so much happier. Get a free printable with these tips at the bottom of this post. Sibling rivalry eroded the joy of parenting my kids. Of course, […] Continue reading
About Me
Hi, I’m Alana. When I’m not nursing cold, stale coffee, I usually can be found with the baby on my hip, barefoot, and racing after my two older kids.
Thanks to a degree in psychology and a free-range childhood backing onto an expansive evergreen forest, positive parenting and play-based learning are my passions.