by Christine Hammond on October 12, 2017
Whether the child is 2 or 17 years old, the worst parenting mistake a parent can make is not listening. This presents in a variety of formats. Not listening to their boundaries. When the child has said they don’t want to talk anymore, listen and give them a break. They might need time to process… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on May 14, 2015
One of the hardest realities to explain to a child is death. Especially when it is the death of a parent, sibling, beloved grandparent, close friend or even a favorite pet. Parents generally try to protect their child from things that might harm or from things that are too difficult to understand. But unfortunately sometimes… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on April 29, 2015
Parenting is hard work. At times it can be overwhelming, lonely, exhausting, discouraging, exciting, joyful, rewarding, encouraging, and fun within just a few short minutes. The wide range of emotions you feel from excitement over watching your child finally ride a bike without training wheels to paralyzing fear as they ride that bike straight into… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on April 22, 2015
It seems like it happened all at once. One moment you were praising your kid for being so good and the next thing you know he/she is a completely different child in a foreign looking body. Not only are the clothing choices a bit different but the shoe size is rapidly increasing, the attitude is becoming… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on May 9, 2013
I’ll never forget the first time that my husband and I suggested to our kids that they go away to a summer camp for a week. As parents, we had discussed the benefits of a good summer camp program and spoke with many of our friends who recommended several camps around the country. We took… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on March 19, 2013
Dear Mommy and Daddy, Yesterday I just stood there as you fought over my baby sister. Mommy had both her arms and Daddy had both her legs. I thought my baby sister would break in half but she just cried cause she is only one years old. I felt so bad that I didn’t stop… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on March 12, 2013
Having kids is a blast. There are so many places to show them, so many things to explore, so many things to do and so little time. It seems as if your calendar is always full and it probably is with birthday parties, trips to the zoo, new playgrounds, play dates with friends, soccer practices… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on March 12, 2013
In your head you keep a constant ledger and running total of all the gifts, grades, thank-you notes, kind acts, punishments, harsh words, phone calls, and hugs for each child. You carefully check the ledger daily to ensure that your kids are all getting equal time, attention, and punishment as the thought you might be… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on March 12, 2013
“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” This is one of your favorite quotes and your child already knows it by heart. You are a careful planner in every activity with many detailed lists in order by priority and usually color coded for easy reference. This is responsible behavior and irresponsible behavior is not having… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on March 11, 2013
It seems like it happened all at once. One moment you were praising your kid for being so good and the next thing you know he/she is a completely different child in a foreign looking body. Not only are the clothing choices a bit different but the shoe size is rapidly increasing, the attitude is… (more…)