Three more essential and teachable skills in a two-part series aimed at helping our kids become independent, self-reliant, resourceful and resilient. See also Part I: How to Raise a Self-Reliant Kid. Skill 1: Brainstorming, Skill 2: Teach Self-Reliance, Skill 3: Decision Making.  Skill #4. Show how to negotiate It’s a typical Saturday morning with another sibling battle. [...]

Three crucial and teachable skills that help our kids become self-reliant, resourceful and resilient. Raising your child to become independent is among your most important parenting tasks. After all, one of your key goals is to help your son or daughter survive as well as thrive without your guidance. That means you must prepare your [...]

Parenting advice to help kids learn to do household chores, boost responsibility muscles, and lend a hand without bickering. Really! Years ago I learned an important parenting secret from my girlfriend that I’ll never forget. My friend Cindy and I were busy chatting away when she glanced at the clock and suddenly announced to: “Chore [...]

Parenting advice to curb irresponsibility, excuses and “blame games” and boost trustworthiness, accountability and kid responsibility Any of these sound familiar? “I forgot.” “Take care of this for me.” “It wasn’t my fault.” “I did some of it, but I left it on the bus.” “I don’t know where I put it.” They are statements [...]

Parenting tips I shared on TODAY for kids who procrastinate, dawdle, cut corners or just take the easy way. It’s the makeover no parent should put off! Sound like  your kid? “I don’t care!  I quit – this is too hard.”  “Why don’t YOU do it?” Is his backpack a disaster, homework always a battle and everything [...]