by Chris Jones | Sep 9, 2025 | Parenting Skills, Parenting Tips, Preteens & Teens
How many times have you asked your child, “How was your day?”, only to get the response, “fine”? If your number is too many to count, you are not alone. Many parents struggle with ways to reconnect with their children after a long school day. Here are five alternative...
by Chris Jones | Aug 17, 2025 | Education, Parenting Skills, Parenting Tips
Some parents dread the start of the school year, having enjoyed lazy mornings and extra snuggle and play time with their children. Others of us jump for joy knowing our kids will be back in their routine and we have a nine-month hiatus from arranging camps and...
by Chris Jones | Aug 16, 2025 | Discipline & Behavior, Parenting Skills, Parenting Tips
Parents often struggle on a daily basis to get their kids to do the most basic tasks. Requests to get dressed, brush teeth, put away toys, and of course go to bed can result in ignoring, defying, or arguing behavior from our children. We find ourselves nagging,...
by Chris Jones | Jun 5, 2025 | Discipline & Behavior, Parenting Skills, Parenting Tips, School Challenges, Toddlers
Trying to get our kids out the door on time in the morning can be a frustrating and exhausting endeavor. Even when we start off determined to make THIS morning better, we can still end up with arguments and tears. What to do? One of the themes I keep coming back to...
by Chris Jones | Oct 19, 2024 | Parenting Skills, Parenting Tips, School Challenges
You’ve just left your child’s parent-teacher conference, and your mind is swimming. Maybe you heard that your energetic second-grader is struggling to stay focused during math. Perhaps your quiet middle-schooler isn’t participating in class...
by Chris Jones | Oct 15, 2024 | Discipline & Behavior, Parenting Skills, Parenting Tips
With the school year in full swing, many parents are dusting off their child’s sticker charts in hopes of incentivizing positive behavior. These systems can be incredible tools to foster emotional growth and skill development. Children thrive when their...
by Chris Jones | Oct 14, 2024 | Parenting Skills, Parenting Tips, Special Challenges
Do you find yourself constantly repeating directions and expectations? Is it hard to tell whether your child won’t do something, or can’t do something? Are you noticing patterns of the same mistakes being made in your child’s homework? Every child has unique strengths...
by Chris Jones | Oct 6, 2024 | Discipline & Behavior, Parenting Skills, Parenting Tips, Toddlers
“We have to share!” If you’ve uttered this phrase recently, you probably have a toddler. And you’ve probably been met with confusion, anger, or meltdowns. Teaching kids how to share is no easy feat. It’s a developmental milestone that many parents...
by Chris Jones | Aug 20, 2024 | Parenting Skills, Parenting Tips, School Challenges
The first weeks of the school year are a time of both excitement and worry for many children. While some kids have been eager to reconnect with their friends and begin the new year, other children become increasingly anxious as the first day of school approaches and...
by Chris Jones | Jul 26, 2024 | Parenting Skills, Parenting Tips, Preschool, Toddlers
We know that play groups are important for toddlers and preschoolers. But have you considered that they serve a valuable function for caregivers as well? Below are some of the ways that Drop-In Play Groups, like the ones offered by Parents Place at the Center for...
