Here's what I've learned through years of supporting families and diving deep into child development research: when what worked last month suddenly doesn't work this month, it's usually not a sign that you're failing as a parent. It's often a sign that your child is growing—and their developing brain has new needs.

The consequence felt swift and fair. Natural, even. Make a mess, lose a privilege. Simple parenting math, right? Except it didn't work. Not that day, not the next week, and not the fifteenth time I found myself staring at another breakfast disaster, wondering why my perfectly logical consequences weren't creating any lasting change. Sound familiar?

What if I told you three magic words could transform these daily battles? What if the solution wasn't more structure, clearer consequences, or louder voices—but something surprisingly simple?

Here's what nobody prepared us for: these hopes aren't just unrealistic—they're completely disconnected from how children's brains and bodies actually develop. We're measuring our real, growing, learning children against developmental fantasies, and we're all struggling because of it.

Embracing the Now: A Play Therapist Parent's Journey of Imperfect Parenting As a play therapist and a parent, I've learned that the most….

As a play therapist, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of play in the lives of young children.

Raising teens today is a vastly different experience than it was decades ago.

I often reflect on the intricate and unpredictable journey that is parenting. Regardless of our backgrounds, we all face one undeniable trut

Ah, parenting. If it were an Olympic sport, we'd all be in the running for gold medals, am I right?

Summer is a time for connection, growth, and fun, but it can also bring moments of heightened emotions and unexpected behaviors, especially

Children aren’t adults. They must learn on their own that failure is learning and mistakes are nothing to fear.

It's all about the power struggle. We hate them. They happen anyway, and we would really like them to stop.

It’s midnight, and I’m only now going to bed. This is after an hour of scrolling Reddit on my phone, reading a book, or watching a show.

Adolescence is a time of venturing out, discovering more about oneself, and potentially leaving a mark on the surrounding world.