Have you ever said “I’ll never spank” but find yourself using this occasionally in anger or frustration? Have a 2 or 3 year old child who still doesn’t sleep through the night? Do you find yourself realizing at 11am that you haven’t gotten showered or dressed yet? Do you run in to check on your newborn to make sure he/she is still breathing? Do you … Continue reading You’re Not Alone……
Sometimes I feel ill-equipped to be a parent. Raising children has made me question all of my values and everything I believe in. I am responsible for molding and shaping another human being. I have to choose what I want to teach them and what values I want to instill in them. This takes soul-searching. It takes a commitment, a willingness to pull apart, to … Continue reading Insight
Encouragement and Praise When we praise, we send a restricting message (“You’re only worthwhile when you do things well”) But when we encourage, we respond to a wider range of behavior, effort, and improvement. Some children interpret praise as “To be worthwhile, I must do what you want.” When we encourage, we lead children to take responsibility for their own feelings of worth. Praise is … Continue reading Encouragement: The Prime Motivator
Remember when scolding to attack the behavior, not the child. Instead of “You were a bad girl” change to “You did a bad thing”. The behavior was bad but the child is intrinsically good and would benefit from separation of behavior and person. Let’s fill out children’s head with the belief that they are good people who sometimes make mistakes (just like us!). Angela DiCicco Continue reading Scolding your Children
18 Summers. That’s all you have with your child. If you’re lucky. The first doesn’t really count because they are so small they can’t really participate in anything. Then there are the teen years where they want to spend all, or most of their time, with their friends. Age 18 and their adults – off to explore the world on their own. So 18 summers. … Continue reading 18 Summers
My son recently learned how to blow kisses, give kisses and give hugs. There is nothing like when you are not having the best day and your child comes up to you and gives you a hug and a kiss. I am loving all the hugs and kisses that he gives! (April 2012) Do you have any things that your children do that melt you … Continue reading Heartwarmer
Post Partum Depression(PPD) affects between 11 and 20 percent of women. It can be a mild case or a severe case, but usually goes away on its own over time. PPD is a disorder that occurs after the birth of a child, usually due to hormone imbalances. Some symptoms of PPD are loss of appetite, sadness, feeling worthless, feeling rejected, loss of interest in the … Continue reading Dealing with Post Partum Depression
This year I am on a mission to rid my house of all the toxic cleaners we have been using. Growing up my mother used vinegar to clean many surfaces and I never thought much of it, until I became a mother myself. This year I will be slowly changing all my cleaning products to healthier, more natural homemade products. I will be doing this … Continue reading Crunchy Cleaning: Homemade Carpet Cleaners
Thanks to Kaboose.com for the fun winter crafts for children! Craft Stick Sled By: Amanda Formaro Difficulty: Average Age: 8 and up Make this fun replica of an old wooden sled. The starburst design and beautiful colors make this little sled an adorable winter activity. What you’ll need: 5 jumbo craft sticks 2 craft sticks 2 miniature craft sticks White craft glue Yarn Light blue and … Continue reading Kids Korner: Winter Crafts
If you know my family, then you know that every Christmas Eve, for as long as I can remember, we have celebrated the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Growing up we never really got to all seven fishes, but now with my brother (the chef) we always have seven fishes! Bacala, anchovies and smelts are what my mom grew up with. Now we may have … Continue reading Feast of the Seven Fishes
ART with Angela DiCicco, The Italian Grandmama's Guide 