Parenting advice to help kids learn to self entertain and enjoy their own company! (Do beware: a new trend shows our Micromanaged, Over-structured, “Plugged-In” Generation can’t stand boredom. Maybe it’s because we might be doing too much scheduling, entertaining and solving? Just a thought!) There is a concerning new trend with twenty-first century kids. Perhaps because [...]

10 Secrets to Help Kids Share,Take Turns and Join the Human Race “It’s mine.” “But I had it first!” “I want a turn!” Sound familiar? All parents want their kids to “play nice” by sharing, taking turns, and cooperating with their friends. After all, it means their child is learning how to socialize and get [...]

Five steps to help kids learn the lost art of saying “I’m sorry.” The steps work for adults, too!  Have you noticed how apologizing has become almost a lost art these days? A great number of adults–not kids–seem to have forgotten how to say that glorious two-word simple phrase, “I’m sorry!” And if the offender [...]

Parenting tips to turn negative beliefs around based on case files Children with poor self-beliefs often have bombarded themselves for so long with a steady stream of derogatory messages. Their potential for success is greatly limited, because they don’t believe in their capabilities. Self-talk is a critical part of how children acquire beliefs about themselves. [...]

Parenting advice to boost our children’s civility and teach manners  REALITY CHECK: A survey conducted by US News & World Report found nine out of ten Americans felt the breakdown of common courtesy has become a serious problem in this country. A huge seventy-eight percent of those polled said manners and good social graces have significantly [...]

How to determine why a child is using aggressive behaviors so you can turn it around Let’s face it, it’s not easy to know that your child is bullying. It’s hard to admit that your kid is using aggression. But to allow bullying behaviors to continue will be disastrous to your child’s character, conscience, reputation, well-being and [...]

Research-based steps to help kids learn crucial friendship-making skills to fit in, and be less-likely to be excluded and bullied   Friendship Matters Let’s face it, some kids just seem to make friends easily. They’re invited to all the birthday parties, attend the sleep-overs, are chosen first for teams, and are sought after as everyone’s friend. [...]

Parenting tips to help kids  fit into a new classroom, school, neighborhood or social scene Adjusting to any new social scene can isn’t always easy. But having all new classmates, transitioning to a new school or most of all moving to a whole new community can be tough. And oh how kids can pour on [...]

All children are turned down by friends–even the most popular kids! Researchers found in a study of second and third graders that 26 percent of the time, even the most well-liked children in the class were told they couldn’t join groups already playing. Be sure to tell your child before he attempts to join a group: [...]

Whether your family is moving into the home next door or across the nation that change can be difficult for one and all. Here are ways to make the transition smoother and more positive REALITY CHECK: Though moving is a common event that happens to one out of five families each year, research shows that a [...]

Making a Difference in the Lives of All Young Girls A special guest post by Michelle Anthony, author of Little Girls Can Be Mean Here is a guest post by Michelle Anthony, author of the wonderful (and MUST read book) Little Girls Can Be Mean: Four Steps to Bully-Proof Girls in the Early Grades. This is [...]

What research says on how onlies turn out and parenting advice for raising the fastest growing kid breed. Tips I shared on NBC TODAY Your Trivia Pursuit question of the day: “What do these famous folks all have in common?” Cary Grant. Elton John. Chelsea Clinton. Alan Greenspan. Gerald Ford. John the Baptist. Laura Bush. [...]

Checked that calendar lately? If not, here’s the memo: “Summer is coming…and soon!” That’s the good news..(for the kids anyway). More “down time”…. playing in the parks … swim meets … family renunions and game playing…summer camp…Monopoly…AYSO summer league….sports….playing with the neighbor kids. Sounds like all fun so far, right? Sure..if your kid is a [...]

HOW STRONG ARE YOUR CHILD’S FRIENDSHIP SKILLS? Let’s face it, friends do matter. Research says those friends play an enormous part of our children’s self-esteem as well as happiness quotient. But research also says friends impact our children’s resilience, school success as well as just plain ability to get along in life. This week I [...]

Some kids just seem to make friends easily. They’re invited to birthday parties, attend the sleepovers, are chosen first for teams, and are sought after as everyone’s friend. If we could peek into their future, we’d see them continuing to succeed socially throughout their school years, as well as for the rest of their lives. [...]

Let’s face it, friends play an enormous part of our children’s self-esteem and success quotient for life. I’m often asked whether parents really can influence their children’s ability to make friends. My answer is always a resounding: “Yes!” After all, parents can be a tremendous impact on kids’ social lives, but they can hinder and [...]

Each day this week I’ll be sharing back-to-school tips on CTV – Canada AM when kids go back to school. You can also  go to www.canadaam.ctv.ca for more of my tips  Michele Borba You’ve bought the school supplies, sharpened the pencils and packed the lunches, but have you prepared your children for dealing with back-to-school [...]

Michele Borba REALITY CHECK: Though chances our your child was born with a shyer temperament, Jerome Kagan, Yale’s foremost child development expert, proves biology is not destiny. Those parents who encouraged their shyer children to expand their horizons and didn’t always rescue or overprotect were more likely to help their children feel more secure and [...]

Michele Borba Any new social scene can be really tough. Having all new classmates, joining a brand-new group of kids on a soccer team, transferring to a new school, going away to camp alone and most of all moving isn’t easy. And oh how kids can pour on the guilt to remind us they’re not [...]