by Chris Jones | Aug 24, 2015 | Discipline & Behavior, Parenting Skills, Parenting Tips, Toddlers
Renee, mother of 5-year-old Jonathan, called me with her most recent challenge. Here’s how she described it: Jonathan can get very resistant to going somewhere new. The other day I told him that we were going to visit my friend Ellen and her family after...
by Chris Jones | Aug 13, 2015 | Choosing Schools, Toddlers
Every year over 500 San Francisco parents attend Parents Place’s Preschool Preview Night in Golden Gate Park at the Hall of Flowers. What are they hoping for? To find a first school that provides their child with a safe, stimulating learning place and that also...
by Chris Jones | Jul 21, 2015 | Bullying Prevention, Discipline & Behavior, Parenting Skills
I recently read an article put out by the Chopra Center shortly before their Global Meditation Day. I was moved by the article and thought to summarize it here for you. We talk about bullying, have anti-bullying curriculums, and zero tolerance in many schools for...
by Chris Jones | Jul 14, 2015 | Education, Leisure & Vacation
Do you have 15 minutes to spare? If so, you can be a citizen scientist. Over the past few years, citizen scientists — ordinary people who help scientists and organizations track the count and behaviors of such creatures and phenomena as birds, butterflies, bees,...
by Chris Jones | Jul 6, 2015 | Parenting Skills, Parenting Tips
We are all familiar with the over used expression “It takes a village to raise a child,” but how many of us believe this and live by this value? As a baby boomer, I grew up in the Fifties in a neighborhood where all the children played together outside after school....
by Chris Jones | Jun 29, 2015 | Leisure & Vacation, Parenting Tips, Preteens & Teens, Toddlers
Summertime typically brings hot weather and family vacations. Swimming and playing in water can be a big part of summer plans! However, playing with water is a sensory-filled activity. For some it is full of fun; for others it can lead to panic, apprehension, or even...
by Chris Jones | Jun 24, 2015 | Parenting Tips
What if I told you that there was a technique that would help you reduce anxiety and stress, and improve your parenting skills and your compassion for both yourself and others with as little as 10 minutes of practice a day? This technique is called “mindfulness” and,...
by Chris Jones | Jun 8, 2015 | Birth - First Year, Sleep
Question: My first child didn’t sleep through the night until he was two. How can I prevent two years of long, sleepless nights with my second baby? Answer from Cherie Tannenbaum, NP, IBCLC: Feeding and rocking a baby to sleep is one of the most pleasurable...
by Chris Jones | Jun 1, 2015 | Leisure & Vacation, Preteens & Teens, Toddlers
Everyone needs downtime. Children and teens today have such busy, stressful lives that summer becomes not just a welcome break in their routine, but a vital one for recharging. The warmer days and increased daylight are more conducive to relaxing. Consider letting...
by Chris Jones | May 27, 2015 | Books, Education, Leisure & Vacation, Parenting Tips
Yesterday I had one of those happy mama moments. In my mind there are very few things more satisfying than watching my two daughters excitedly rip open the packages of new books that arrived in the mail from our monthly book club. Within minutes they were each...
