Posts filed under ‘parenting tips’
When Mothers Struggle to Like Their Daughters: What’s Really Going On?
The content discusses the struggles faced by college-aged women resulting from emotionally distant relationships with their mothers. Unresolved childhood trauma, self-reflection, and cultural pressures contribute to these dynamics. Despite these challenges, communication and self-reflection can foster healing and deeper connections, offering hope for better mother-daughter relationships.
Continue Reading December 3, 2025 at 11:58 am Leave a comment
Help Your Child Grow a Passion for Learning Using These Strategies
Photo via Pexels
Guest post by Gwen Payne, info@invisiblemoms.com
Encouraging a passion for learning in children is essential for helping them thrive in an ever-changing world. This passion not only equips them with the adaptability to face new challenges but also nurtures their curiosity and creativity. By fostering an environment that celebrates inquiry and discovery, parents can create the foundation for a lifelong love of exploration and growth. The strategies shared here can be applied year-round, including during school breaks, such as holidays and summer vacations, providing children with exciting opportunities to continue learning and growing outside the classroom.
Create a Balanced Learning Routine
Creating a routine that balances structured learning with regular breaks and varied activities is essential for fostering a child’s enthusiasm for education. By incorporating short breaks, such as 15-minute intervals, children can recharge, enhancing their focus and positivity when they return to their tasks. Integrating diverse activities throughout the day not only keeps children engaged but also prevents the monotony that can lead to burnout. Encouraging mindfulness practices, like breathing exercises, can further help children clear their minds and concentrate on what truly matters.
Lead by Example
Your own educational journey can be a powerful tool in inspiring a love for learning in your children. By demonstrating curiosity and enthusiasm for acquiring new knowledge, you set a valuable example. If you’ve been considering further education, completing an online psychology degree offers the flexibility to balance studies with other commitments. This pursuit not only enhances your understanding of human behavior but also showcases the importance of lifelong learning. Engaging in higher education can ignite a passion for knowledge within your family, creating an environment where learning is cherished and valued.
Explore Museums and Science Centers
Regular visits to museums, libraries, and science centers can play a crucial role in nurturing your child’s curiosity and love for learning. These environments provide hands-on and inquiry-based activities that are particularly effective for developing critical thinking and communication skills. Engaging with exhibits allows children to explore objects and discuss their characteristics, which can be especially beneficial for gifted children. By incorporating these visits into your routine, you not only support your child’s educational growth but also keep their passion for learning alive.
Discover Math and Science in the Kitchen
Engaging your children in cooking activities is a fantastic way to nurture their love for learning, especially in math and science. By involving them in measuring ingredients, you introduce concepts of volume and fractions, which are foundational in mathematics. As they follow recipes, they learn the importance of sequence and precision, skills crucial in both math and science. Additionally, cooking offers a practical demonstration of chemical reactions, such as how heat transforms ingredients like butter and syrup, making them more viscous. This hands-on approach not only makes learning enjoyable but also helps children understand and retain complex concepts more effectively.
Encourage Reading Through Choice
Encouraging children to choose their own reading materials can greatly enhance their enthusiasm for learning and sense of independence. When kids select books that resonate with their interests, they are more likely to engage deeply with the content, nurturing a lifelong passion for reading. This approach not only supports the development of independent reading habits but also boosts comprehension skills, as children are more motivated to understand texts they enjoy. Offering books that are appropriately challenging and promoting exploration across various genres can further cultivate this independence.
Embrace Interactive E-Books
To nurture a lifelong love of learning in your child, consider incorporating interactive e-books and audiobooks into their reading routine. These digital tools transform traditional reading into a more engaging and accessible experience, accommodating children across various reading levels. Interactive e-books often include features like animations and sound effects, which can captivate young readers and maintain their interest. Audiobooks, on the other hand, provide an auditory experience that can enhance comprehension and vocabulary, especially for auditory learners or those who struggle with traditional reading.
Engage in Community Service
Engaging your children in community service projects is a powerful way to nurture their love for learning while equipping them with essential life skills. By participating in activities that resonate with their interests, children can develop empathy, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. These projects offer a unique opportunity for children to connect with diverse individuals, forming meaningful relationships that enhance their sense of belonging and happiness. Encouraging your children to explore community service projects that align with their passions helps them thrive in a collaborative and interconnected world.
Fostering a love for learning in children is a journey that requires patience, creativity, and commitment. By embracing diverse strategies and creating a supportive environment, parents can inspire their children to view learning as a lifelong adventure.
Discover transformative insights and resources for nurturing strong family relationships with parent coach, C. Lynn Williams. Visit clynnwilliams.com to explore her books, programs, and workshops today!
Hope and Healing: Supporting Your Teens Through Challenges This Holiday Season
This week, we were heartbroken by the news of a Wisconsin teen involved in a school shooting. It’s a reminder of the pressures and challenges our teens face today, pressures that often go unnoticed until tragedy strikes.
For parents of Black and Brown teens, these challenges can feel even heavier. Our youth often face unique stressors from discrimination and prejudice, which add to the already complex emotions of adolescence. As parents, we have a critical role in helping them navigate these burdens with love, understanding, and resilience.
Supporting Your Teen This Holiday Season
The holidays can still be a time of joy and connection, even in the face of challenges. Here are a few ways to encourage open communication and create moments of healing:
1. Be Present and Listen
Let your teen know they can talk to you about anything, including how societal pressures impact their mental health. Listening without judgment is one of the most powerful gifts you can give.
2. Empower Them with Affirmation
Remind your teen of their worth, resilience, and unique talents. Acknowledge the additional stress they may feel navigating a world that doesn’t always treat them fairly, and celebrate their strength.
3. Encourage Moments of Rest
The holiday season is the perfect time to slow down and recharge as a family. Create opportunities for your teen to reflect, relax, and enjoy simple, joyful moments away from external pressures.
A Message of Hope
As parents, we can’t always control what happens in the world, but we can create a safe and supportive space for our teens. This holiday season, focus on nurturing their emotional well-being, building bridges of trust, and celebrating their unique journey.
May your holiday season be filled with love, hope, and meaningful connections.
Warmly,
C. Lynn Williams
Parent Coach / Author / Speaker
clynnwilliams.com
Teaching Children to Express Emotions Healthily: 3 Tips…
Creating a safe and open environment is the first step in helping children express their emotions healthily. When children feel understood and supported, they are more likely to share their feelings openly and confidently.
Raising Children Without Losing Yourself
Guest blogger, Jenny Miller
Becoming a parent changes everything. Your priorities shift, your responsibilities grow, and suddenly you’re no longer the most important thing in your life. While it’s normal for parenthood to bring major changes, becoming a parent shouldn’t mean losing your sense of self, though. In fact, it’s possible to be a great parent without putting your goals and dreams on pause. Today, C. Lynn Williams explains how!
Loving with Limits: Why Parents Need Boundaries
You’d do anything for your child. However, many parents struggle to balance supporting their child with setting limits.
- Healthy boundaries benefit a child’s emotional and social development, encourage autonomy, and ease the workload of parenthood.
- According to Hand in Hand Parenting, children need four types of limits to flourish: safety, values, expectations, and proposal limits.
- Limits also promote age-appropriate independence. At an early age, that may mean entertaining themselves. As they get older, independent children can troubleshoot problems and do simple chores.
Maintaining Your Identity in Parenthood
Do you feel like you’ve lost your identity since becoming a parent? Parenthood takes a lot of time and energy, but it’s possible to adjust and feel like yourself again.
- Make time for adult relationships. Schedule kid-free time with your partner and maintain a social life, even if it looks different nowadays.
- Set goals for yourself. Do you want to get back into a hobby, learn something new, or adopt a healthier lifestyle? Goals are the key to building a happy life long-term.
- If you’re a stay-at-home parent, consider going back to work. There are numerous job boards where you can find a position that fits your skills. Use a resume builder to give your resume a makeover, then create a winning cover letter to get noticed.
- If you need extra education or training to improve your hireability, look into online learning. For instance, most popular medical coding courses can be done online in less than 30 hours and can really open up doors!
Self-Care Is Family Care
Self-care tends to drop down the priority list after starting a family, but it shouldn’t disappear from it entirely. A good parent is a happy parent, and happiness starts with self-care.
- Focus on the positive changes parenthood brings. There are always challenges, but practicing gratitude makes them feel easier.
- Spend quality time with your children. Take just a few minutes for meaningful connection each day. Even reading to your children each day makes a big difference for you and your kids.
- Take care of your health. Not only do healthy habits give you the physical and mental stamina to rise to life’s challenges, and it also sets a good example for your children.
There’s no question that parenthood requires sacrifice. However, you don’t have to sacrifice your own goals to be an exceptional parent. In fact, by taking care of yourself and continuing on a path of personal growth, you provide your children with a role model for thriving through life’s transitions.
C. Lynn Williams is a veteran educator, speaker, workshop presenter, passionate mother & wife, as well as author of “Trying to Stay Sane While Raising Your Teen: A primer for parents”, “The Pampered Prince: Moms Create a GREAT Relationship with Your Son”, “Raising Your Daughter Through the Joys, Tears & HORMONES!“, “Yours & Mine: A Winning Blended Family Formula“, and “Daddy & Daughter Thoughts: A Dad’s Guide to Daughters“.
Interested in learning more about your family’s dynamics? Contact me – Ms. Parent Guru to receive information about my inspiring parenting programs for Aging Parents, Mothers and Daughters, Mothers and Sons, Fathers and Daughters or Fathers and Sons.
Click Here to become a part of my parenting community.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Parent Coach, Author & Speaker
Being Happy Like a Child
Over the last couple of months, we have seen or interacted with our 2 1/2 year old grandson for multiple periods of time. While it’s been exhausting, what I’ve enjoyed most about spending time with him, was his playful nature and his ability to make anything fun!
Fun to him was hiding behind the plant in the living room, or running through the house saying “chase me” “chase me“! He could look at you, make a face and burst out laughing. 😂 When we corrected his behavior and he didn’t like it, he cried for a few minutes and then the sadness and tears were gone. He was off to another adventure!
I just wondered what would it take for us as adults, living our adult lives, to just burst out laughing! 😂 Would people think we were crazy and wonder if everything was OK? Seriously… how do we take moments in our day and turn them into joyful experiences, or just times to laugh and have fun?
I’m on a quest this year, in 2022, where I am looking for joy in my experiences; to lighten up and just laugh, have fun and enjoy myself more! 🤸🏽♀️🤸🏽♀️
Yeah I like that – enjoy myself more.
I know there will be bills to pay and serious discussions to be had and work to do, but there’s lots of fun out here to have and it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or any money. Just go and do!
Hey… have a joyful, fun, delightful day today! 😂🤪
Interested in learning more about your family’s dynamics? Contact me – Ms. Parent Guru to receive information about my parenting coaching programs that help guide you through aging Parents, Mother and Daughter drama, Mothers and their Sons challenges, Father and Daughter issues as well as Fathers and their Sons.
Click Here to become a part of my parenting community.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Parent Coach, Author & Speaker
How to Build Accountability In Your Child
Happy New Year and no… this is not a list of resolutions for better parenting!
Having talked to quite a few parents during the Holidays who wanted their child to do what they were asked; I’m reminded of two things:
- Keep it simple
- Hold your child accountable
As you tell your child for the 5th time to pick up his/her toys, clothes, etc. you might wonder what it will take for that delightful child of yours to become more accountable.
According to Century Dictionary, accountability is the state of being accountable or answerable; responsibility for the fulfilment of obligations; liability to account for conduct, meet or suffer consequences, etc.
The thing is, we want our kids to grow into accountable adults, which means that we want accountable teens, youths, toddlers.
So how do you get started?
Start now…ideally when your child is very young and impressionable. My daughter has been “guiding” our 2½ year old grandson with picking up his toys, since he could walk. He understands what picking up toys means, how to do it and the consequences of leaving them all over the floor.
Is she 100% successful? Nope, but she and her husband have a great start provided they stay consistent with their work with him. It gets more challenging, if you are starting to with children who are older and aren’t used to having to pick up after themselves.
Not impossible, but your work is cut out for you because your child won’t understand why all of a sudden, you are asking them to do something they’ve never had to do before.
3 tips for helping your child be more accountable:
- Model behavior (that you want to see repeated)
- Be as consistent as possible in holding your child responsible for what you’ve asked them to do
- Help your child see things from another person’s viewpoint
Modeling the behavior, you want to see, is one of the skills that a leader uses. It’s much easier to get your child to pick up their toys, clean their room, clean the bathroom, if they see you do the same.
Teaching your child to see things from another’s perspective builds empathy and compassion. If occasionally you have your daughter help her brother or sister clean their room, fold clothes or clean the kitchen, they may be less inclined to fight, argue and compete with each other.
Just a couple of thoughts as we enter 2022.
Interested in learning more about your family’s dynamics? Contact me – Ms. Parent Guru to receive information about my inspiring parenting programs for Aging Parents, Mothers and Daughters, Mothers and their Sons, Fathers and Daughters or Fathers and their Sons.
Click Here to become a part of my parenting community.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Parent Coach, Author & Speaker
My Teen Is Old Enough…
Being a teen is overrated. They are old enough to know what to do, but they don’t have the maturity or experience to consistently make the right decisions.
Being a teen is overrated. They are old enough to know what to do, but they don’t have the maturity or experience to consistently make the right decisions.
I was the oldest child and my mom and dad taught me the difference between right and wrong. I was responsible for “setting a good example” for my brother and sister. While I didn’t want to disappoint them, my parents also had “eyes” in the community and throughout the city; other adults who would report back if they saw me in places where they didn’t think I should be. Even so, I broke the rules… like the time I rode on my boyfriend’s motorcycle. Two broken rules:
- No boyfriends (at my age)
- No riding on anyone’s motorcycle
Never mind that we could have an accident and I could be hurt or killed. That never occurred to me (as a teen) because I was fearless and willing to try things. Even if it meant breaking the rules.
Parents often believe that once their child becomes a teenager, they don’t need as much supervision. That’s not true either. You don’t have to worry that your teen will fall down the stairs, like a 2- or 3-year-old. But they could accept a ride from a stranger when they need to get someplace on time. Or they may be tricked into giving out their phone number in an online chat, because the person they’re talking to says they are 15 too, like your child.
Think about the recent rash of carjackings or smash and grab crimes that are being performed by teens. Some of the kids are 12 or 13 years old. I can hear you – “Not My Child”.
How do you know?
You work every day and you’ve taught your child right from wrong. They would never steal a car, hold a person at gunpoint/knifepoint, or snatch their purse/wallet. Right?
You say, “my child is smart, comes from a two-parent family, we are not poor.” Those crimes only occur with/by… You fill-in the rest of this sentence with your thoughts or biases.
As a parent expert who has taught and studied adolescents, teens, and 20-somethings for the past 20 years, I can tell you this:
- Teens love thrill and excitement
- They are easily influenced by their peers and the world around them
- Leaving them on their own for 3-4 hours every day (after school) without supervision is a problem
Join my Zoom Parent Masterclass on Thursday, October 21st where we will discuss teens: their wants, needs and love language. Admission is $25 until October 9th; $45 thereafter.
CLICK HERE to Register.
Interested in learning more about your family’s dynamics? Contact me – Ms. Parent Guru to receive information about my inspiring parenting coaching programs that help you through Aging Parents, Mothers and Daughters, Mothers and their Sons, Fathers and Daughters and Fathers and their Sons.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
HOW’S YOUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL ROUTINE?
As the Back-to-School commercials roll on your local TV channels, you wonder where the time went. A lot is changing this fall 2021 school year.
Many school districts are replacing remote learning with in-person learning. Some are offering a mixture of both – remote on specific days and hybrid on others. Whatever school discipline you have decided, it’s time to help your child prepare for a new routine!
This week I’ll talk about a great nighttime routine to help your child get used to the routine of getting enough sleep and waking up.
Step 1: Change their bedtime.
Summer is such a welcome time for kids unless they have summer camp or part-time jobs. They get to play outside, stay up late and sleep in. Change their bedtime now instead of waiting until the weekend before school starts, so they get adjusted.
Step 2: Change their wake-up time.
This is probably a villainous move on the part of a parent, but very necessary when it comes to helping your child get ready for school. When you change your child’s wake-up time, give them a morning schedule to follow.
Make it age appropriate:
- yoga (for kids)
- make-up their bed
- write/check-off personal goals
- shower
- eat breakfast
- clean up their room
- chores you may have for them
- FUN time
Step 3: Complete any pre-Fall school assignments.
Many teachers send home assignments for their new students that must be completed and submitted either the 1st day of school or during that first week of classes. If your child procrastinates, this is GREAT opportunity to complete an assignment and have it ready to submit on time. It will make them feel good about themselves as well.
Remember to make time for fun whether it’s outside or inside.
Interested in learning more about your family’s dynamics? Contact me – Ms. Parent Guru to receive information about my inspiring parent coaching programs that help you through aging Parents, Mother and Daughter drama, Mothers and their Pampered Princes, Father and Daughter or Father and Son relationships.
Click Here to become a part of my parenting community.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Parent Coach, Author & Speaker
Give Them Something To Believe In
Life is funny, you leave one crisis, and move into a second or third one.
This week I’m thinking about boys… yes, our sons. And the challenges some of them face growing up.
For the last several years, we have experienced a number of young men losing their life to gun violence. Violence of being shot by rivals and violence due to police shootings. Last year (2020), not only did we experience over 600,000 people who died from COVID-19, we also watched as the number of black boys and men who were shot and killed by police, increased.
Toward the end of 2020, many cities noticed a rash of crimes where people were being carjacked and robbed or killed. Many of these crimes were committed by young men, some as young as 11 or 12. It makes you wonder what kind of direction or guidance they are receiving at home?
I had firsthand knowledge of guidance for a young boy.
My little brother…
I think back to my brother and how he responded to my mom and dad’s divorce. He was young, about 11 years old and missed having Dad at home. He was angry and felt alone.
He started getting into trouble.
A lot. Getting into trouble in those days, meant being disrespectful, destroying somebody’s property, or stealing. Our dad wasn’t coming by for regular visits, but if my mother called about my brother, Dad would come and discipline him.
My brother was so unhappy that he began trying to take his life. (Thank God he was unsuccessful.) He also began hanging out with the “bad boys” in the neighborhood.
My mother sold our house and moved to a different neighborhood.
Who can say what kind of stress these boys are undergoing at home?
- It could be due to financial issues.
- Maybe the stress is verbal or physical.
- Your son could be dealing with depression.
- Perhaps he is reacting to deaths of people he knows due to COVID-19, domestic or gun violence. If his family has gang affiliation and the violence is orchestrated by gang leaders, imagine how stressful that could be.
How do you help your son if he is facing any of these (or other issues)? What do you do if he’s going through male teen angst? Maybe he’s exhibiting disrespectful, aggressive, violent behavior or mood swings.
What happens if you can’t change neighborhoods?
Try these five things before giving up or seeking professional help:
- Schedule Time With Your Son – talk frequently and spend regularly scheduled time with him and keep his schedule jam-packed with school, sports, clubs, time with friends, and after-school jobs.
- Set a Sleep Routine – it’s easier being a teen if he’s getting enough sleep.
- Get Moving – the last thing a moody teen wants to do is get up and move, but it’s one of the best ways he can feel better.
- Listen Without Lecturing – resist the urge to lecture your son. Listen with an open mind.
- Keep Your Cool – take a deep breath, keep your cool and find a way to communicate without lashing out.
Find an honorable, trustworthy male mentor that he can talk to, when he can’t talk to you. Remember to model healthy ways to handle stress. Take good care yourself.
I help parents build the kind of communication and trust that allows parent-child relationships to grow and feel better through coaching and parent classes. Email me for more information: info@clynnwilliams.com 😘
Thanks for reading my blog. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @MsParentguru.
Click Here to become a part of my parenting community.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Parent Coach, Author & Speaker
Staying Sane While Raising Your Teens 
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