Change is always possible and we are all a work in progress, even beyond the resolute month of January.

When we’re clear on our values, this can help us to focus on what truly matters.

Guilt will occur naturally within the spectrum of human emotions, and we can intentionally acknowledge it and work to shift future behaviors in a more positive direction.

Year’s end can feel like a natural time to look toward the future with renewed intentions and fresh goals, while reflecting on what matters most to our families.

We can remain confident and connected as we lovingly support our children in building their skills, across all ages and stages of their development.

Co-regulation is the supportive process that can foster children’s self-regulation skills.

What actions can we take today, this week, this month, and this season to support ourselves?

This important skill is one of the foundations for building empathy.

What we focus on and feed with our validation and love will grow. Gratitude can shift everything.

Because these strategies alone aren’t always effective for every situation.

Often, the older our children get the less information we receive in response to the question of “How was your day?”

We know that healthy boundaries come from “no”. But, what can come before “no”?

A recipe for having conversations about scary events with our school-aged children.

During this parent-teacher conference season let’s lead with curiosity and celebrate progress, while also recognizing areas for growth that will stretch our children.

We do a disservice to our children when we deny them the experience of being told “no”.

Acknowledging and validating our children’s feelings doesn’t mean that we need to ‘fix’ or change these feelings, nor do we need to shift our expectations.

When our children experience BIG feelings, they rely on the adults around them to offer co-regulation and model strategies to come back to calm.

Transitioning from a sleeping state to a waking state can be a disorienting shift, especially when we’re expected to move into a waking state that has a timeline.

Developing this skill, which is closely related to self-control and has both a behavioral and emotional component, takes time and attention; and, it’s a skill that we can intentionally cultivate within our families.

As we continue to move into the rhythms of this new school year and (re)establish routines, it can be helpful to consider how we bring intentionality to these transitions.