Anger is a perfectly normal emotion, and learning to manage it appropriately is one key to emotional health and well-being. If your child is having frequent angry outbursts, it’s important to get to the root of the issue and teach them calming strategies that work.

I am fascinated by the cultural differences in parenting around the globe. I previously wrote a piece on the Danes and now I'm turning my attention to the land of my ancestors: Ireland.

The masks we wear not only make us look different, but they make us feel different. On a night where the shy child can feel like a butterfly and the bullied child can feel like a strong superhero, maybe a little more attention and intention should go into this year’s Halloween costume picks.

In our house, Halloween is a time for painting pumpkins, watching scary(ish) movies, and dressing up as the kids’ latest obsession (Lego minifigs, anyone?) for an evening of trick or treating, because who doesn’t love buckets of candy? Let’s take a look at how kids around the world celebrate Halloween.

Time and again, I see and hear advice to ignore children who are in emotional distress. There are several well-intended but poorly conceived intentions at play here that we need to address in order to bring compassion to our responses with our children.

When I was a child, I had an imaginary horse named Thunder, an imaginary black panther that could talk, and even an imaginary frenemy. I always assumed that I had so many imaginary companions because I was an only child, but it turns out I’ve just always had a vivid imagination.

While I’ll always advocate for slowing down and savoring those precious miracle moments with our loved ones, I understand that some days are just so packed that there are only a few spare minutes with which to connect with our kids. For those days, here are 15 ways to connect in just five minutes or less.

Parenting very often feels like a balancing act. It can be tricky to find the sweet spot between permissive and authoritarian, that ideal place that many experts refer to as authoritative.

Karate, Cub Scouts, baseball, and acting classes are just a few of the extracurricular activities that we have undertaken.

I’ve taught my children many, many things in my decade of parenting, but the lessons they’ve taught me are far greater and more valuable than I ever expected.

We often repeat the same phrases that we heard when we were children without giving them much thought. I think it’s always good to pause and reflect on the language we are using and if they are in line with our current values and family goals.

Helping our children develop a positive inner voice is one of the big jobs of parenting. It’s an easier job for parents with children who tend to be more optimistic, and more of a challenge for parents of kids who are naturally self-critical. We're all wired a bit differently, but there are things we can do to help.

It’s time to say goodbye to summer and hello to fall again. Fall is a wonderful time of year because the temperatures are mild, the foliage is beautiful, and there are plenty of opportunities for play! Here are 30 ideas to kick off fall the playful way.

More and more research is emerging on the link between happiness and creativity, and what researchers are finding is astounding.

What determines your happiness? Is it your bank account? Your health report? Your pants size? Your kid’s success? Guillaume Apollinaire famously said, “Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.” Today, let’s pause in our pursuit and check out these 8 mind-blowing facts that just might change how you think of happiness.

Have you ever watched the show Brain Games? My kids love it. In season 3, episode 5, which is titled “Stress Test,” players were given a specific amount of time to complete a task while someone was saying critical remarks to them. They almost always failed. Then, they were given the same amount of time to complete the same task while someone said encouraging words to them. The results were dramatic. With a bit of encouragement, the players were able to complete the task much faster and easier. The bottom line? Encouragement matters.

We all want to raise happy children, so who better to ask how to do that than the Danes? Denmark is consistently ranked one of the happiest countries in the world, churning out generation after generation of happy people. It seemed logical to turn to the book, The Danish Way of Parenting – A Guide to Raising the Happiest Children in the World by Jessica Joelle Alexander and Iben Sandahl, to find insight. Within this gem of a book are several Danish secrets, two of which I’m going to share with you here.

Being on the receiving end of a disrespectful tone, eye roll, or door slam can be difficult for parents to handle positively. When our children are disrespectful, it’s very triggering for most of us. Our typical reaction is to wield our parental power to make it stop, whether through issuing a punishment or coming back with a bigger, worse attitude.

First day jitters are common for kids and parents, alike. Face those feelings of separation anxiety or uncertainty head on.

Carve a little time out in your day for some fun summer activities with the kids!

Are you having a rough day with the kids? Try these positive parenting ideas to turn the day around!