Today's the last day to buy a voucher for an affordable parent coaching or child assessment session!

Are you worried that your child or teen seems moody? Are grades slipping? Is there tension at home?

Let's meet and talk about it and I'll spend some time with your child or teen to see what might be going on. We can talk about how to present this so that your child feels encouraged by it and not shamed. I've worked with a lot of teens who don't want to see a counselor so if you're thinking he or she would never go for it, let's talk. And anyway, they never think they're in trouble if you take them to the doctor when they don't feel well, do they?

After today, you'd have to pay a bit more for this - even with insurance. Visit plumdistrict.com - East Bay of CA district to buy a voucher that will save you money. But more importantly, it might make family life better!

Visit me at www.creativejourneying.net for more about me and how I work.

Make your Saturday family day!

Saturdays can become chore days, errand days, soccer days. These are all great things and here are some ways to connect with your kids on a deeper level amidst the busyness!

*Go out for a picnic - even if it's in the back yard. Sit together on a blanket and talk or play a
game.
*Have each member of the family pick their favorite song to put on the stereo and then teach
the whole family a new dance. This helps with bonding, cognitive development, and
emotional expression.
*Watch an interactive TV program like Dora or something with a rich story all together. Turn
off the TV and have each person say one thing they liked and one they didn't like
about the program.

If any of this might be too hard for your family right now and you're thinking, "they'd never do that" or "we'd just end up arguing" or "we wouldn't enjoy hanging out together", it might be a good time for a parent coaching session or child assessment. Visit www.plumdistrict.com for an incredibly cheap deal that ends tomorrow.

And visit me at www.creativejourneying.net for more information about me and how I work.

Who needs parent coaching?

You might benefit from a parent coaching session if you:

*sometimes wish you had more tools to help your child succeed.
*find yourself a bit stuck when your child is really testing you.
*have just gone through a major transition - marriage, divorce, death in the family, move.
*your child is in a new developmental stage and you want to develop a greater repertoire of skills for parenting.
*you feel you could be closer to your child.
*there is increased conflict in your home.

But parent coaching can be expensive. Many experienced therapists don't have slots for clients with insurance, and even using insurance, you often have to pay $25.00 for a co-pay.

That's why I thought it would be good to offer a deal on plumdistrict.com for a parent coaching session that includes two follow-up phone calls. If you live near the east bay of california, you might want to consider taking advantage of this! Visit plumdistrict.com to buy a voucher. The deal is only offered through Sunday, September 4th!

To learn more about how I work, visit me at www.creativejourneying.net.

Get a parent coaching session for a greatly reduced price!

I'm today's featured deal on plumdistrict.com for the East Bay, CA. You can get a parent coaching session that includes two follow-up calls or a teen/child assessment that includes two follow-up calls. Even if you used your insurance, you'd pay more in co-pays for this much support.

Parenting is tough sometimes, and even when it isn't, a parent coaching session can help you and your child thrive even more!

I've had over 20 years of experience working with children, teens, and their parents. Let me support you in supporting them.

Visit plumdistrict.com to buy a voucher and www.creativejourneying.net for more information about how I work.

Give your child choices so they can't help but succeed

If your child is not responding to your directions, take a deep breath and try these 3 steps.

1. Notice the specific behaviors and wonder about her feelings. "I notice that all afternoon, when I ask you to do something, you have a hard time doing it. I wonder if you're feeling mad or sad about something.

2. Give her the chance to say how she feels or what she needs and empathize.

3. Then develop a choice you know you can stick to and that is reasonable for the situation.

The important thing is to keep your anger out of the interaction as much as you can, create reasonable directives, and avoid just telling her to "stop" or "behave". If you need to take a few seconds to calm down, let her know and do what you need to do to collect yourself.

For more specific parent coaching, visit www.plumdistrict.com through September 1st for a great deal on a parent coaching session or child/teen assessment. It's in the Marin district this week and East Bay district next week.

To learn more about me and how I work, visit www.creativejourneying.net.

5 ways to enhance bonding between you and your 2-4 year-old.

1. Look at your child and smile at least 10 times today. Hold your gaze as long as they hold theirs.

2. Give your child 5 big hugs today. Go for the bear hug and hold on until you and your child are relaxed.

3. Affirm your child in a very specific and clear way in front of another important person in their life. Affirm a quality they showed you today - something they have control over, versus something that's inherent. So it's better to say, "Amanda was really kind to another child who was crying and showed them caring" than "Amanda is such a sweet little girl".

4. Spend a half hour in nature with your child. This can mean just really looking at a tree in the back yard.

5. Verbally empathize and mirror your child's emotional state without judgment or trying to change it. Show him or her that you can really stand in his or her shoes for a moment.

If you're having a challenging time as a parent or would like a greater repertoire of skills as a parent, go to plumdistrict.com for a great deal on a parent coaching session (Marin district this week, East Bay district next week). Visit me at www.creativejourneying.net for more information about how I work.

Ask your child to teach you a new dance.

Often relationship stress between parent and child is correlated with changes in the emotional bond between parent and child. Even the healthiest bond can be taxed by new developmental stages, emotional upsets, life transitions, and a general increase in stress.

Bonding can be enhanced through a shared activity with your child. And if a child can teach you something, it engenders trust and a sense of competence in the relationship. Moreover, dancing is great physical exercise, releases endorphins (which can lead to more positivity and creative problem-solving), and learning a new dance is one of the best ways to keep the brain fit as well.

So find your child's favorite music and ask them to teach you a dance. Then teach them one. Repeat, enjoy!

For more parent coaching or a child/teen assessment, go to plumdistrict.com and buy a voucher for a greatly reduced session (Marin district this week, East Bay district next week). You can visit me at www.creativejourneying.net for more information about me and how I work.