Parenting Blog

by Nicholeen Peck   There is an attack on motherhood. However, May, the month of flowers, birds, and life, the month that reminds us of all that we are grateful for, brings our hearts back to the simple, yet powerful lessons of our mothers. Lessons of gratitude, strength, work, and love, that mothers teach, need to be honored. May, the… Read more »

by Nicholeen Peck When children are little they ask “Why?” about everything. They want to know: “Why is sky the blue?”, “Why can birds fly?” and “Why do we have to eat our vegetables?” While some questions are cute and fun to answer, others seem like a stall tactic or an annoyance. After a few years of answering the why… Read more »

by Nicholeen Peck The many messages telling us how we ‘should’ live our lives can be dizzying. It seems to me everyone has a plan for us; from advertisers to organizers. For years, I’ve sat in committee meetings and witnessed presentations laced with presumptions and conclusions based on someone else’s value system – their plan for our lives. One such… Read more »

by Nicholeen Peck “It’s harder for children nowadays with all of the technology and temptations and bad examples”, a mother said to me at a recent conference where I was speaking. We talked for a moment about the differences between her childhood and the childhood of her children. She was concerned. She felt lost and confused about what she should… Read more »

by Nicholeen Peck Sometimes it’s nice to find out that something we’re doing is really working to bring about good things. Positive online posting makes a big difference in our world, even if it doesn’t always seem like there is time to do it. This week a parent, who attends my weekly digital parenting support group, wanted advice for how… Read more »

“My daughter is so ungrateful! All I do is serve her, but she doesn’t care about me or what I feel. And, she never helps out, even when I ask nicely,” an exasperated mother told me about her teenage daughter. In a later conversation, Emily, the daughter said to me, “I never get anything my way. My mom controls everything.… Read more »

Love runs deeper than many people realize, and the outcomes of love are significant. We all recognize when we don’t feel loved or when we have a hard time feeling love for someone who isn’t behaving lovingly. But, what we don’t often recognize is that love isn’t something that can be turned on and off like a switch. Even though… Read more »

Choosing kindness strengthens relationships, increases resilience and promotes emotional non-fragility, helps us solve problems, and is a choice that leads to happiness. Many parents tell me that they hope for their child to develop kindness. Indeed, kindness is a characteristic that develops. It’s a word that describes actions that display love or respect for others. Learning kindness is environmental, logical,… Read more »

It may seem trite and slightly overused to say it, but the old adage, “Make every day Christmas,” has more power than you might think. In fact, maybe, just maybe, the way to have life feel like Christmas every day is to truly live the spirit of Christmas in our relationships at Christmas time. Practicing good relationships this Christmas could… Read more »

Nearly every day parents ask me how to help their “wayward young adult” or how to heal the heart of their “disconnected teen.” Children displaying unnatural affection by disconnecting from loving parents is an epidemic in our modern society. Normal human development involves increasingly seeking for autonomy as a person launches into adulthood. However, turning a heart away from parents… Read more »