Proactive Parenting Blog
The tools and advice you need, taken from the latest research and scientific literature, to help you feel confident and in control as you raise your children.
Transgender pronouns
Sara, 17, brought her best friend Jamie, 17, to a family reunion. Sara’s aunt saw Jamie getting a soda and asked Sara, “How is she doing?” Sara rep...
Vaccines are safe and MMR vaccine is not related to autism
Before you read this post, I want to clarify my position as an educator to avoid anyone reading anything into what I want to write about vaccines. As most of my readers know, I base al...
How to explain the difference between needs and wants to small...
Children may be saying things like, “This isn’t the kind I like!” “But I want…” and “Can we get some tomorrow?” Even in more normal times...
How to maintain control when a child is misbehaving
Sometimes our children have less than ideal behaviors. While it can be frustrating, the key to focus on safety in the moment and then focus on communicating values so that their beha...
How to support your child when they feel worried
During these uncertain times, we can’t promise our children things that we don’t control. We don’t know if people we love will become sick or that things will get...
By recognizing signs of stress, you can help your child manage...
Patricia was concerned because her four-year-old daughter Mary had started wetting the bed suddenly. Mary also returned to baby-talk to express her needs about a week into the mandatory quarant...
Simple ways of talking about COVID-19 with young children
Sam and Julie were so happy to hear that they could leave their apartment with their young children to take a walk around the n...
When a child won’t listen
John was at the park with his 4-year-old daughter, Ann. It was a bright, warm sunny day and they were having fun together. Ann was ...
Values to help your child be socially successful
Every family is different and there are no universal norms for how to raise a child. That said, in order for our children to fluidly move betwee...
A simple technique to praise your child so they feel it
Patty was sitting in the living room reading a magazine when her 10-year-old daughter, Lynn, burst into the room. Patty looked up and noticed that Lynn had chocolate around her mouth and ...