Checking in with your children each day is a great way to help them remember their values and to focus on the type of person they want to be. And a great question to ask each night is, What Kind of Mark Did You Make Today? You see, every time we are with someone we leave a mark – either a “gold heart” or a “grungy mark” depending on how we...

 Julie’s* Mom was concerned. Her nine-year-old daughter was struggling in her relationships with friends and family – especially when conflicts arose. She was also frequently getting down on herself and using negative self-talk.This behavior was having a detrimental impact on Julie’s self-esteem and self-confidence, but her Mom didn’t know what...

 You may have heard statements like these before…As soon as I have more money…As soon as I have more time…As soon as I’m a little older…then I’ll go for my goal!When deciding the “perfect time” to go for your goal… you must look out for a sneaky dream-stealer called "conditional thinking".Conditional thinking occurs when you think that something...

Dreams often get a bad rap – “Be realistic”, “Get your head out of the clouds”, “Live in the real world”... The myth we often hear is that dreaming is irresponsible, unrealistic, and unreasonable. But did you realize that our world is built on dreams? Throughout history, humans have made the once “impossible”, possible – from electricity, to...

  Kids love to make gifts during the holidays. And a great gift that is inexpensive, fun to make, and will be treasured by the recipient for years to come are gratitude jars. Here's what you need to make our gratitude jar craft for kids: Beautiful jar or box that can be decorated Items to decorate the jar or box Beautiful paper that can be...

  Wow – it’s already December and 2020 is almost complete! When talking with friends and colleagues about the end of the year, one thing I’ve noticed is that people often talk about the things they DIDN’T do in 2020. This often leads to a series of “self-beat-up” comments as they talk about their unfulfilling job, weight they didn’t lose,...

  Did you know that teaching children how to make holiday cookies can help kids develop self-confidence? That's right. Any time your kids have an opportunity to learn something new and to create something exciting it builds self-confidence. And what can be more exciting for a young child than baking and decorating holiday cookies! Many...

  Do you ever think about your dreams—then suddenly realize you’re not sure how to step outside your comfort zone to make them happen? Do you ever feel nervous about your dreams—then whittle them down to something that is more “practical” or “doable”? If so, your response is normal. The bad news is, this “normal” response is what keeps so...

"You will always miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take." This is a powerful quote from Wayne Gretzky, one of the most famous and highest-scoring professional hockey players of all time. It is also a very powerful lesson to share with your kids. So many people, kids and grownups, let their dreams stay on their “wish list” instead of putting...

Have you ever wondered why children often shift from believing they can do anything at the age of four, to becoming afraid to take risks by the age of 7?Developing a fear of failure is common during the elementary school years as kids often face their first disappointments – failing a test in school, missing an opportunity to win the baseball...