All Ages

When things get scary: A parent’s guide How do you judge when it's the right time?

Win or lose, here’s what your child needs most Supporting kids through wins, losses, and everything in between

The Tween & Teen Connection Challenge: Over 20 Ways to Spend Quality Time Together Discover simple ways to spend meaningful time together, around the house, around Calgary, and beyond

Problem solving supports

As a parent, it can be challenging to watch your child struggle. We often want to jump in, provide our input, and fix their issues – bam, problem solved! But what this does not do is support long-term growth and development. As adults, we have had many opportunities to assess risks, ponder issues and create solutions. But our children don’t have those same experiences of solving past problems, so when we solve problems for our kids, instead of breeding confidence, we are creating dependence on others. This reduces confidence, resiliency, self-esteem and tenacity.

Two houses, many challenges

Restructuring a family means change after change. Kids move between two different houses or kids stay put and the parents move. Regardless, each parent will have their own way of doing things, and the kids will need to adjust. Some parents worry that different rules in different homes will hurt the kids. Children can manage a lot and will find a way to cope. The more predictable, the easier it will be for them to adjust. Just because house rules are different doesn’t make them bad. The reality is that at times kids may prefer one house over the other (because the rules are a little more flexible, or because it is consistent and safe.)

The importance and development of social skills

Humans are wired for social connection. This is especially true for our kids when they start school. Developmentally, most kids become less egocentric and start paying attention to what other peers do, think or feel as early as ages five to six. You may start to hear statements like: “Jessie said that no one likes dinosaurs anymore so I don’t like dinosaurs anymore,” “I’m sad because Ali said I’m rude and she doesn’t want to play with me anymore,” “Mo has ‘Air Jordan’ shoes so I want to have those shoes too.” These statements can be frustrating because it may seem that your child’s peers have a bigger impact on their thoughts and decisions than you do! Just know that this is very developmentally appropriate and that this level of social awareness is a significant milestone in the development of social skills.