Blog: Family & Friendships

With the holidays upon us, there’s likely going to be a lot of family gatherings – meals included. It brings up the question of how essential these rituals are to you – not just holiday time, but all the time. Family dinners can be a loving predictable routine that make kids feel safe and cherished. It’s wonderful to know there […]

The state of the world has been on the mind of so many of the families I work with. Too many wars, too much aggression, too much not caring about each other and the planet. It’s created an underlying anxiety even for the youngest kids who are exposed to the news in their living rooms. One tense teen asked, “Haven’t […]

I’m getting a lot of flack about friends lately. Kids are complaining that they don’t have any. Parents are concerned that their children don’t have enough, or have too many disagreements with the ones they do have. Everyone is asking for help. All this reminds me of seven-year-old Freddie. Every day after school he complained, “The girls are bossy,” or, […]

Many years ago I happened upon a magical island in the Mediterranean where families from all parts of Europe took their holidays. The beaches have the warmest, clearest aqua waters, there are fascinating prehistoric “taula” ruins, a bit like Stonehenge, sprinkled about, and the old towns take me back to a charming other time. I’ve been fortunate to return almost […]

It’s summertime and the kids are out of school. No more stress – no more homework, no more tests, no more pressure. Kids and families should have a super summer. Yes? Well, not exactly. The pressures of the academic year are over, and initially there’s a big relief and often everyone is happy and carefree. But with lots more time […]

May has just begun and Mother’s Day is already next weekend! What a great opportunity to “check in” with the kids in your life – whether you work with them or have them – and enjoy some creative play together. According to various studies, mothers’ time spent with children benefits youngsters in numerous ways–from producing lower rates of obesity to […]