Adventures in Parenting

My family had a great time at the Los Angeles County Fair this past weekend.
At the “Bark Park” the stunt dogs performed a number cute tricks. For one of the tricks, two small children were asked to be volunteer helpers. Usually kids love that sort of thing. However, one of them, a little 4-year-old girl [...]

I have this tendency to jump on my children and lecture them.
Yesterday, my daughter came home and says, “I’m tired.” This seemingly innocent remark set me off!
“You probably didn’t eat your lunch. You didn’t even drink half of your water bottle. And you stayed up too late last night. You better get your homework done [...]

I believe it was Gary Smalley who taught that everyone has an emotional tank. We function at our best when our emotional tank is full.
Here’s how it works.
When an emotional need is met, our tank gets a “deposit.” It fills up a bit.
A hug, an affirming word, a listening ear, laughter, good times together - [...]

My mother-in-law often says, “If you treat people well, they will treat you well.”
Do we want our kids to obey us, respect us, and be civil to us?
Then we have to do our part not to annoy our children.
Of course, if I am doing the right thing and my kids don’t like it, I don’t [...]

“My kids talk for hours with their friends, but they don’t tell me anything!”
Communication problem? Generation gap?
The problem is actually an occupational hazard of being a parent.
Since day one of our children’s lives, we’ve told our children what to do: put on your shoes, eat your vegetables, pick up your socks, don’t forget your [...]

This is our pet bunny Smokey.
When we tell her to come, she doesn’t come. When we tell her to jump, she doesn’t jump.
But when we dangle a carrot a front of her, she’ll go anywhere the carrot leads!
Dale Carnegie tells this story of of Ralph Waldo Emerson:
One day, Emerson and his son tried to get [...]

When I am shopping, I like to give a compliment to the clerks.
I look hard for something to give a sincere compliment. “That’s a nice necklace you have on” or “I like that color of nail polish on you.”
My ulterior motive is, if I am nice to them, they will give me better service!
Dale Carnegie’s [...]

What do we say to our children when they make an ugly face or cross their eyes?
“Your face and eyes are going to get stuck that way!”
In the same way, we can get into a habit of being negative and critical of our children that we get stuck that way.
Dale Carnegie writes this:
“Often parents are [...]

Have you read the classic How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie?
It’s been more than 10 years since I read it, and I am reading it again.

I am recommending this book for every parent.
The timeless principles in this book has made this a top seller since it was written in the 1930’s. [...]