As parents, we wish we could protect our children from every hardship. But the truth is, kids notice when something is wrong—whether it’s a loss in the family, a scary event in the news, or a big change like divorce or moving.
February invites us to focus on love—but for many couples, it also quietly highlights distance, stress, or disconnection. When connection feels strained, the pressure to feel close can make the absence of connection even louder. Relationship researcher John Gottman offers a deceptively simple, research-backed love prescription that’s especially powerful this time of year: Give a real compliment. Why Compliments Matter (Clinically Speaking) From a clinical perspective, admiration and fondness are not “nice extras”—they are core pillars of relationship stability. Gottman’s research consistently shows that couples who regularly express appreciation are more resilient during conflict and experience greater emotional safety. In other words, admiration acts as a buffer when things get hard. Couples who stay happily connected can easily recall the
The start of a new year is a powerful opportunity to make intentional change. When you reach the end of 2026, what do you hope will be a major change you made in your life? For many of us, spending less time on screens is one tangible way to live more in line with our values: And yet—despite nearly everyone wanting to reduce their screen time—so much of our free time gets swallowed by the online vortex. We scroll through entertainment or news of very little substance, only to feel drained and unfulfilled afterward. 2026 can be the year you engage with screens intentionally, without letting them crowd out the most meaningful parts of your life. Below are three simple, practical steps to help you
If you’ve found yourself having the same argument over and over again—where things escalate quickly, voices get louder, or one of you shuts down entirely—you’re not alone. As a Marriage and Family Therapist I see couples who often feel trapped in painful, repetitive patterns of disconnection. They often tell me: “We love each other… but we can’t seem to stop fighting.”“No matter what I say, it feels like I’m not heard.”“When things get tense, I just shut down… and that makes things worse.” What’s Really Going On? These repeated patterns aren’t about the surface issues—dishes, parenting decisions, or how someone looked at their phone at dinner. They’re about attachment needs and emotional signals that are getting lost in translation. This is a negative interaction
A Realistic Guide for Managing Summer Tech Use Kids: School’s out! YEAHHH! Parents: Wonderful. That means non-stop phones, video games, and streaming. And if not, we’re met with whining, pleading, or full-on meltdowns. How are we supposed to survive this summer? Let’s be honest—parenting is already challenging. Parenting in a digital world, where screens are designed to be engaging (and often hard to put down), adds an entirely new layer of complexity. If your family has never needed screen-time boundaries, this might not apply to you. But for most families, some structure can make a big difference. We’re not here to offer a magic solution. There’s no one-size-fits-all list of “Top 10 Tech Fixes to Save Your Summer.” Each child is unique.
Parenting is hard, and one of the hardest and most surprising parents about parenting is when we are triggered by our own child’s behaviors. As parents, it’s common to feel overwhelmed when our child’s behavior feels like too much to handle. Whether it’s constant arguing, whining, or meltdowns, hello being triggered! This is one of the top struggles we hear from parents and have experienced ourselves. Learning how to manage reactions is important for your wellness, your child’s growth and your relationship with your child. Why Does Your Child’s Behavior Trigger You? Understanding why certain behaviors trigger us can help you stay calm and manage your response in these moments of parenting. What to Do When You’re Triggered Here are