If we’re ever unkind to people, just because they’re unkind to us, returning like for like, we’re usually left with an uncomfortable feeling that lets us know it wasn’t our best response to the situation. It was a fear-based, defensive response, because we’ve learned to […]
All posts tagged: Parenting
Kids Need To Know That Life Is Supportive By Nature
The future will be determined by our children. So parenting effectively is a top priority. How can we ensure that we’re doing a good job? By being good to ourselves, by enjoying life, and by being positive, adventurous people. If we’re juggling jobs and life, […]
Disciplining Children Is More Than Changing Their Behavior
I recently overheard my son say something to his child, and I had the sense that it wouldn’t work out well for them. It wasn’t serious. Just one of those statements we make to our kids, subtly manipulating them to do what we want them to […]
Our “Terrible Twos” May’ve Been Worse Than We Think
Our toddler grandson runs up and down the hall just for the joy of running. He revels in getting a spoon of food to his mouth. He shoves sounds together into sentences and beams at his own success. He hasn’t figured out yet that anything […]
What’s Up With Today’s Super Sensitive Kids?
Our daughter-in-law took our grandson to a sensory-friendly theater, where children who are susceptible to sensory input or who find it difficult to sit still for long periods can enjoy a movie in a safe, comfortable environment. The level of the lights and sound are adjusted, […]
HuffPost Interview: Parenting In A Blended Family
I became a Contributor to HuffPost in 2015. And after posting more than 65 articles on effective living through focused thought, HuffPost asked to interview me for its Blended Family Feature. HP: How many family members do you have? Grace: My husband, Ron, and I share four […]
Why Guilt Doesn’t Work
The summer that I was nine, I begged my parents to let me attend our church’s residential camp. The requirement for a discounted rate was to read The New Testament by a certain date, so I committed to do it. I procrastinated for weeks and […]
9 Things Children Will Benefit From Knowing
1. THEY ARE LOVED, LOVABLE AND LOVING More important than getting our children to make good grades, or to be polite, or to follow our instructions, is to cause them to feel and know that their natural state is to be loved, loving and lovable. […]
Marathon Communicating With Our Children
Many cultures use rituals during the adolescence and teen years to mark the time when children transition to becoming responsible for themselves. When my son turned thirteen, I asked two-dozen of our friends who had known him throughout his life to write their memories and encouraging […]
What Language Is My Child Speaking?
As a mother of three sons, I would sometimes ask them during their adolescent years, “Are you practicing to be ventriloquists? Is that why you don’t open your mouths when you speak?” Eventually, I understood that, since teenagers are often expected to stop saying what […]
How Our Kids Teach Us Unconditional Acceptance
We never outgrow the basic need we had as children for love, expressed through concentrated attention, affection and unconditional acceptance. And we’re all walking around looking for it, all the time. Loving people without conditions means accepting them exactly as they are. “Even if you […]
5 Steps For Disciplining Children So They Feel Good At The End
What does a perfect child look like? Well-behaved, truthful and thoughtful? Never dirty, unkind or grumpy? A perfect child is joyous, mischievous, rude, stubborn, curious, lazy, courteous, rebellious, reckless, funny, helpful and adorable, because perfect children are experimenting with whatever’s possible. KIDS AREN’T BORN KNOWING […]
Grace de Rond 