It’s very important to know that we have a choice in EVERYTHING (except life and death), because it helps us in decision-making. And maybe no one has dared say yet, but the process of making decisions is a messy, confusing one! You, like me, might have found yourself saying, “I didn’t have any choice…” I'm sure, even the daily dish planning is one for the books of hard-to-decide list! But we do have that choice, no matter how hard it is to make sometimes. I take this in light of my parenting journey. I grew up hearing a lot of these, “You have to do this, because you need to.” or “You can’t d ..read more

It can be very difficult distinguishing whether some of your teen’s actions and behaviors are just part of their adolescent adjustment process or whether they are signs and symptoms of a problem that needs discussing with a health professional. See if the symptoms last weeks or months and are having a noticeable impact on their daily life; this would be an opportune moment to seek some professional guidance. Palmer Lake Recovery has created a comprehensive Parent's Guide to aiding children and teens through mental health issues. Here are some of those classic warning signs that parents need t ..read more

Contrary to popular belief, Montessori is NOT just the expensive toys, nor the curriculum. It is a way of life, across generations, and economic and cultural backgrounds. See how you can practice Montessori in your daily life ..read more

Practice mindful breathing Bring to your child’s attention how inhaling feels like filling up a balloon in your belly, and slowly exhaling to deflate the balloon. You can do this lying down, with a stuffed toy on the belly or even a train or any vehicle with wheels to show visually the rising and falling. Practice counting the slow inhales and exhales, first ones loudly, and then silently in our mind. 2. Present, mindful eating Perfect for toddlers who eat painstakingly slow. Bring to their attention the appearance of the food, the taste and texture, and the sensation. Eating is one of the ..read more

If you've lived in the early 90's and are ready to be part of the working force by the early 2000's, you'd find it easy to land a job. Most jobs focused on competencies and basic communication skills- bonus if you exhibit creativity, time management, and a penchant for learning new things. But, see, we live in a VUCA world, as coined by American Military: volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous- as if these four words are not scary enough. The call to "upgrade" our skills and be practically a living magic ball of many talents and skills is so evident and relevant. Do you know that jobs no ..read more

Hold your tongue! And please, please be still your heart! Let's ask ourselves these: 1. Is this behavior just a phase? Is my child going through something right now, or does he maybe need attention? Is he overstimulated that's why he is having a hard time to listen? 2. Did I give warnings? Or too many warnings without any follow-up? Or did I just snap and was I about to lose it? 3. Do the words I'm about to use reflect my frustration or anger? Or can I consciously, sincerely offer help and say that I'm here as he goes through his big emotions? 4. Can I wait patiently and talk to him when he's ..read more

Much research has been done on how moving our body in particular ways changes how we feel. When we purposefully move the body- hold it in a certain position like how it’s done in yoga- it can shift our emotional state and affect our well-being. We’ve all heard that when we close our eyes, smile, we feel happier, or when we take long and deep breaths, we feel relaxed. In our quest to be mindful, present parents and educators, we can also try to develop more awareness in the way we move our body, especially certain body parts, not just our thoughts, words, or our actions. Now, how we act or move ..read more

As the universe says, we make or break a child. Let’s look at examples of empowering, respectful lines you can use with your child. As early as two years old, children already have a working knowledge of cause-effect. They can understand more than they can talk in this phase if you ever worry whether they will get your point or not. You will just find yourself repeating the reminders, and when you do, keep consistently calm. By 4 or even 3 they can self-manage better. So here, let’s give them the tools for positive communication- tools that will last a lifetime, long when we’re gone. Try to a ..read more

"Pay now or pay bigger! Help you and your child embrace the healthy struggle (commotion) of waiting." -Dr. Fay Let us help you teach your kid how to wait! Patience is one of the essential elements of success. Truth is, it is THE key ingredient to learning anything in this world. Waiting is in every way part of our life, and we recognize our babies were not born with the natural ability to do so. I am sure, you know many who do NOT hesitate to show their displeasure about waiting. Why do parents give in to these displeasures? Can't handle the tantrums? Want to get it over and done with? Want a ..read more

Thanks to my son's obsession with trains, I am learning! Don't get us started with Chuggington, or Thomas and Friends, please- I'm suffering from Last Song Syndrome already. I've searched far and wide for train names and accessories and so happy to keep our collection growing. We are loving our Lillaboo, Plan Toys, and the nameless, fittable ones we get to rig up. Glorious mess and set right there for this little railfan. Thankful too we get to take weekend trips to the subway or train station at very cheap. This means so many hours of present parenting for us. How about you? What's your glori ..read more