I’m happy to introduce Vicki Hoefleto Parent Co. readers. Actually, many of you might already know her; she's helped many thousands of families create happier homes through her writing, classes and programs. We're now featuring Vicki's smart, practical and compassionate ideas about parenting in a new weekly column. Vicki offers dozens of tools and tips that solve everyday family problems like messes, allowance, chores, squabbles, etc. But her real innovation is an interconnected framework of insights for raising responsible, resilient, self-directed kids. Her techniques bring the job of "parenting" to the ground, making it easier and more focused on happiness and the parent-child relationship. I didn't see much value in "parenting experts" until I met Vicki (most of them seemed like grandstanders and blowhards). But Vicki's practical approach works for my family. Also, I appreciate her perspective that we're "not raising children; we're raising the grownups they’re going to be" (to paraphrase Louis C.K.'s now-famous expression). Vicki wrote Duct Tape Parenting: A Less Is More Approach to Raising Respectful, Responsible, and Resilient Kids, which has 121 reviews and a five-star rating on Amazon.com. Her follow up book "The Straight Talk on Parenting: A No-Nonsense Approach on How to Grow a Grown-Up" comes out April 21 2015. It debuted at #1 in pre-orders for parenting books on Amazon. Click hereto start following Vicki's column on Parent Co.!
There's been a lot of change for dads in a short period of time. Today they work as many hours as previous generations, but do three times the childcare and twice the housework as dads a generation ago. In this interview, Scott Behson, PhD, author of "The Working Dad's Survival Guide" talks about how working dads can create a more balanced life of family, work, and self, and how employers can help make it happen.
With a few practical tips and strategies in place, you can stay on top of your other responsibilities so you don’t feel overwhelmed by too many changes at once.
Being a new parent can feel lonely. Here are some ways to get out there and make new friends - and nurture your existing relationships (even while exhausted).
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