Okay, so I know this photo isn't the best, but we were having the BEST time celebrating our 32nd wedding anniversary back in December! We were standing in a garden in downtown St. Augustine, FL and there were colorful twinkle lights floating all around us. It was beautiful. 

Safe and helpful. If you think about it, these are the ONLY RULES YOU NEED to guide a toddler’s behavior.

Young children do not benefit from long lectures or explanations when they are misbehaving, and when they are out of control, they won’t hear you anyway, so don’t waste your breath. Try to ward off negative behavior quickly by asking one of two simple questions: 

If you like to provide a lot of creative, open-ended activities for your children, then YAY for you! You are helping your child become an out-of-the-box thinker!  If you want to help them build their brains AND their bodies at the same time, then don’t forget to allow opportunities for them to create while STANDING.

I’m certain all parents want to raise smart children who love to learn, but just how do you do that?

Advertisers would claim that you need to buy their “educational” toys or apps, with all the bells and whistles, so that children can get started young and don’t get left behind! Early childhood educators would say, “Whoa!!!!! Not so fast!”

If you’re reading this, you must be having a little moment to yourself... which in a household with young children, can be quite a feat. However you managed it, congratulations!!! Whoop! Whoop! I realize you probably have only 4 1/2 minutes left, so I won’t take up all your time- just one minute.

Let’s use this one minute for a quick game of self-reflection. Look up into the sky and clear your mind.

Meet my sweet dog, Oliver.  I wonder if dogs daydream.  I imagine they do. They seem to have life figured out in every other way. WAKE.LOVE.EAT.LOVE.PLAY.NAP.LOVE.REPEAT. They MUST sneak DAYDREAM in there somewhere.

Did you know that there are many benefits to daydreaming?

Help your children develop an inner sense of achievement and pride by emphasizing their accomplishments, both the ones that come easily, and, especially, the ones that are difficult. Confidence grows by overcoming challenges. Stepping in too quickly is counterproductive if we want children to learn to trust and believe in themselves. 

Thank you to all the parents who came to the Homegrown Happiness discussion on how to nurture the mindsets that matter (in ourselves and our children).

When my boys were little, their ZOLO toy set was a BIG hit in our house. It provided not only hours of fun, but years of fun! Why did it stand the test of time? Why did it remain fun? Why was it a toy that my boys went back to over and over? Why did it never get old?

According to Richard Louv, author and journalist who has written several books after spending years investigating children and their relationship with the natural world, says "When reminiscing with their families about childhood memories, grown children seldom mention the best day they spent watching TV or playing a video game. Among the memories they do recall, if they’re lucky enough to have had such experiences with their families, are outdoor adventures—even if they complained loudly about such outings at the time."  

I teach a lot of music classes for children and their parents, and I am so grateful for that opportunity. One of the best ways to bond with children is through music!

A musical life is crucial (even if you think you can sing!!!) because it has numerous benefits.

YOU MATTER. You have to recognize that in yourself before you are able to show your children that they matter. Think about your positive, intrinsic qualities. Are you loyal, open-hearted, curious, creative, resilient, forgiving? A bad hair day or a few extra pounds can't change that. When you reflect on your life, place value on WHO you are. Get up each day, challenge yourself, and try to be better than you were yesterday.

This book is a must-read! "If your child has the talent to be a baker, don't ask him to be a doctor." Ahhhh, wise, wise words!!! Wendy Mogel shares this important Hasidic teaching, along with pages and pages of sage advice on how to raise self-reliant children. 

Don't you think it's important to continue to play no matter how old you are?

I never want to "grow up" if it means I have to stop playing... and learning. We learn best when we're naturally curious and curiosity guides play.

Children learn all about their world when they are playing.

Spending time outside reminds us that we are part of something bigger! It helps us shift our egocentric focus. We all serve a purpose on this planet, but how often do we think of our connectedness to nature? Nature is always there. It's dependable, and it's so easy to take for granted. This complex natural world surrounds us every single day, and it is mind-blowing and magnificent if we stop (or at least slow down) to notice.

You know, I don't think happiness is about getting everything you want. I think it's about learning to TRUST YOURSELF TO ADJUST YOURSELF when things go bad. It's about becoming a better version of YOU every single day, when something terrific happens and especially when you survive a stressful situation.  

Parenting is difficult. Completely worth it, but difficult.

It seems just when we survive one phase and everything is going smoothly, another phase presents itself. And that is with just one child! Yeah, it can be overwhelming! We know it's always best to have a good support system to lean on when times get tough.