As we prepare to celebrate Valentine’s Day, check out this month’s quick tip to share the love with your children and let them know how much you appreciate what they do! As you go about your day, talk to your child’s stuffed animals or other family members about all of the wonderful things they do. While praising your child directly - such as, “you did a great job staying calm” - is always beneficial, speaking positively about them to others can be equally powerful. As you are helping them get ready in the morning, you could say “wow, I am so proud of Alex for starting to brush his teeth all by himself!” While supervising your children playing, you could say “Olivia and Emma are such thoughtful sisters. I love watching them problem-solve and work together!” As you and your partner prepare for the bedtime routine, you can playfully “fight over” who gets to put your child to bed. For example, “I want to do it!” and “I also want to do it - I just love spending time together!” The words your child hears you speak about them to others can become part of their internal monologue. Make the most of the little moments and share the love with everyone (and everything) around you!

One of the most under-utilized parenting strategies for young children is behavior modeling. So often, we are focused on teaching academic skills and forget that we must also expressly model the behaviors we want our kids to emulate.

Parents spend weeks thoughtfully collecting gifts and checking items off each child’s wish list, eager to see excited reactions. However, the magic of the season can be interrupted by claims like “that’s not fair” and “he got more than me!” as children navigate jealousy over their sibling’s presents.

As we enter the holiday season, parents often ask how to foster gratitude in their children. We want our children to be appreciative and not take things for granted, as learning to be grateful can improve their relationships, ability to empathize, and overall happiness. However, this can be easier said than done.