Why Your Hardest Parenting Days Matter Most
Why Your Hardest Parenting Days Matter Most Last Tuesday, I sat across from a mother who apologized three times in five minutes. She apologized for crying. For “complaining.” For taking up my time with what she called “just a bad day.” Her voice cracked as she described yelling at her six-year-old that morning — something […]
Why ‘I’m Sorry’ Isn’t Actually an Apology
Why ‘I’m Sorry’ Isn’t Actually an Apology My friend Rachel watched her eight-year-old son storm through the house like a tiny hurricane, knocking his sister’s tower of blocks into oblivion. When Rachel insisted he apologize, he rolled his eyes, muttered “sorry” without making eye contact, and ran off to play video games. His sister burst […]
The Moment I Realized I Was Repeating My Parents’ Mistakes
The Moment I Realized I Was Repeating My Parents’ Mistakes It happened on a Tuesday evening, right between the mac and cheese spill and the third “I said no!” of the night. My seven-year-old asked if she could show me her drawing, and without looking up from my phone, I muttered, “Not now, sweetie. I’m […]
What I Learned When I Stopped Trying to Be the Perfect Parent
What I Learned When I Stopped Trying to Be the Perfect Parent There I was, standing in the kitchen at 7:43 PM on a Tuesday, staring at the organic vegetable medley I’d lovingly prepared—now splattered across the floor like abstract art. My four-year-old had declared it “yucky” before it even touched her plate. Meanwhile, my […]
The Emotion Your Child Needs You to Show More Often
The Emotion Your Child Needs You to Show More Often Last Tuesday, my friend Sarah texted me at 9:47 PM: “I just yelled at my kid for spilling milk. Again. Then I locked myself in the bathroom and cried because I’m turning into my mother.” If you’ve ever had a moment like that — where […]
The Silence That’s Louder Than Any Argument
The Silence That’s Louder Than Any Argument Last week, a couple sat in my office for their third session. Sarah stared at her phone. Mark studied the ceiling tiles like they held the secrets of the universe. When I asked how their week had been, Sarah said “Fine” in a voice that could freeze lava. […]
What Our Grandparents Knew About Family That We’ve Forgotten
# What Our Grandparents Knew About Family That We’ve Forgotten Last Tuesday, I watched a young mother in my office pull out her phone for the third time in ten minutes—not to scroll social media, but to check a parenting app about whether her toddler’s tantrum was “developmentally appropriate.” She looked exhausted. “My grandmother raised […]
The Family Mission Statement That Changed Everything
The Family Mission Statement That Changed Everything Last Tuesday, I sat across from a mother who looked like she hadn’t slept in weeks. “We’re all just…running,” she said, her voice cracking. “Soccer, homework, my job, my husband’s job, dinner from a drive-thru. We live in the same house, but I feel like we barely know […]
Why Modern Childhood is Missing This One Thing
Why Modern Childhood is Missing This One Thing Last week, a mom sat in my office and said something that broke my heart open: “My son has everything — a good school, sports, music lessons, friends. But when I asked him what made him happy last week, he just stared at me like I’d asked […]
What Your Social Media is Teaching Your Kids About Life
What Your Social Media is Teaching Your Kids About Life Last week, a mom in my practice sat across from me and laughed—the kind of laugh that’s half amusement, half horror. “I caught my seven-year-old posing with her smoothie this morning,” she said. “She tilted it just right, fixed her hair, and said, ‘How’s this […]