Building Self-Esteem

Let Them Be ThemselvesYour child will almost certainly be similar to you in many ways. After all, she is made up of 50 percent you. She may well have your natural love of music, your ability to spell, your gregarious nature, and your inclination...

Make Sure They Know Their StrengthsFor your children to be really confident and grounded, they need to know what they're good at. We're not talking about being arrogant; to be honest, that usually comes from insecurity rather than over-confidenc...

Are you preparing your child to be independent? Teaching your child life skills is not only important for self-care and sufficiency— it also allows him to feel empowered, works on socialization and reasoning, and helps develop healthy self-este...

Doing some of these things may be hard work; some of them will come naturally. Irritatingly, some of the pieces you find difficult will come naturally to your partner, but that works both ways. On the plus side, however, working on the difficult ...

Math and Science Do Matter for Girls Throughout the past decades, society has expected boys to excel in the "harder" classes (science and math) and girls in the "easier" ones (language and social studies). The fact is all areas of study can be ...

The Artist or Crafts Enthusiast Not every girl likes chasing after a ball or cycling her heart out. Many enjoy various forms of arts or crafts activities. They may be content to sit in the den and doodle, sketch, or write. Or they fashion obje...

Has your gifted child been struggling with some social, emotional, or academic issues lately? Giftedness comes with a surprising set of problems, ranging from perfectionism and competitiveness to friendship issues. Learn about these common challe...

The Athlete or Outdoor Girl If your girl has some or a lot of athletic ability, you are again fortunate because there so many opportunities for her to practice what she likes. Whether it is tae kwon do, soccer, or lacrosse, you should be glad y...

The Ballerina or Skater The Ballerina or Skater One of the best things you can do for your daughter is to help her discover what is deep inside her and to encourage her to grow into what she is meant to be. Remember the words of Oscar Levant: "I...

Fill in the blanks on this printable to describe your great day. ...

You know that teaching your child age-appropriate life skills is important for self-care and independence, but how, exactly, do you go about doing this? Follow these tips to help your child become more self-sufficient, and help him learn the skil...

How to Display Your Child's Crafts Bonding Experiences A natural adjunct to crafting hobbies is photography. Get a quality camera and teach yourself and your child to take good pictures. Learn how to light crafts projects best and commit them to...

Respecting Your Own Parenting Struggles Boy, do we expect a lot from our kids, almost as much as we expect from ourselves. It's not enough to be a decent parent or a decent worker anymore, we have to eat right, look good, make money, and be a ro...

What to Do About Clothing Battles What kids wear, and how they wear it, becomes an issue for many families. I imagine that cave kids battled with their parents about skins (“Grog, leopard skin skirt too short!”). Hair styles, too, have alway...

Words to Use with Your Kids Every Day You can use these everyday phrases to instill confidence, self-respect, and thoughtfulness in your children. Thank you. It's important to acknowledge your child's efforts to help you or others. You might sa...

Life-Size Me in PJsMaterials Brown wrapping paper or plain newsprint Felt marker Scissors Paints and thick paint brushes Directions Roll out paper and tape it down on the floor. Have your child lie down on the paper on her back or front preten...

Happiness ListMaterials Pencil Paper Directions Sometimes we tend to remember the bad things that happen to us more than the good things. Write down five things that happened yesterday. Read your list over. Did you remember five good things, fiv...

My "Me" ScrapbookMaterials Scrapbook Scissors Photos Magazines Paste or glue Directions The purpose of this activity is to start and maintain a personal scrapbook. It is ongoing, but does not have to be kept up daily. Start on the first blank pa...