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Q&A
If you want my response to a specific situation or scenario leave a message here. If you want to remain anonymous that's fine, but leave your email so can let you know when it is published.
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed councilor. Anything I say is purely speculative based on my years of unprofessional research and application.
Everything you are about to read is my humble perspective.
Join the conversation by adding your thoughts to the comments section below each post.
Q&A - Blended Families
Q: "I have a blended family. 2 “his” 2 “mine” 1 ours. The four older ones are all very close in age. We deal with a lot of deviance and...
Rachel Richardson
Jan 6, 20244 min read
32. Labels Are for Clothing - fixed vs. growth mindset
We live in a society keen on identifying and organizing things and people into groups. Humans crave order. It's pretty natural that...
Rachel Richardson
Dec 8, 20234 min read
31. Corpus Callosum - why do sensory play
"The Corpus Callosum would serve as a marker for an intelligent brain." - NIH I had a friend recently tell me, "I know sensory bins are...
Rachel Richardson
Dec 5, 20233 min read
30. It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's... - open-ended play
I made a post recently on my Instagram about the phenomenon of kids getting really awesome toys and gifts but somehow are always more...
Rachel Richardson
Dec 1, 20234 min read
29. Calming the mind - using charts
There is one thing that is a universal American habit. Control Some seek to control others and some just want to be able to maintain...
Rachel Richardson
Nov 27, 20235 min read
27. The Family Meeting - changing perspective
The structure of the Family Meeting in my home is anything but that. You can call it whatever you want to call it. Make it your own. But...
Rachel Richardson
Nov 25, 20233 min read
28. A Heavy Burden- when kids lie pt.2
"To make your children cap
able of honesty is the beginning of education" -John Ruskin If you want kids to tell the truth you have to be...
Rachel Richardson
Nov 18, 20233 min read
Q&A - Logical Imposed Consequences
Q: "Can you explain natural consequences with an example. When my older child is aggressive with the younger, (or us!) what’s a natural...
Rachel Richardson
Nov 12, 20235 min read
26. Developing the Truth - when kids lie PT.1
"No," I say, "you may not have candy right now," She says, "Ok Mama." Then 15 minutes later I catch her sneaking a MOUTHFUL of candy. It...
Rachel Richardson
Nov 5, 20236 min read
25. They Just Don't Listen - effects of authoritarian parenting
Imagine a ball of play dough. The harder you try to grip it the more places it oozes from your fingers. And if you are too gentle it...
Rachel Richardson
Oct 19, 20236 min read
24. The Industrial Conveyor - rattlesnake bite PT.4
After a short time in the emergency room corridor, we were told our bed was ready in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Sylvia had...
Rachel Richardson
Sep 27, 20238 min read
23. The Foreseeable Future - rattlesnake bite PT.3
We settled quickly into the cramped room. I tried to find my place nearest Sylvia while the nurses encompassed the bed. I hovered at the...
Rachel Richardson
Sep 6, 20234 min read
22. The Ride of a Life - rattlesnake bite PT.2
I stopped in the doorway and watched a flurry of nurses already hard at work fixing up IVs and drawing blood. I'm not squeamish. In all...
Rachel Richardson
Aug 26, 20235 min read
21. A Hellish Encounter- rattlesnake bite PT.1
I'll start by saying that the power of prayer is resounding. This isn't my typical blog post, and while an account of the event is...
Rachel Richardson
Aug 23, 20235 min read
20. Judge and Jury - sibling rivalry
We show them how to resolve conflicts by listening first. All problems get solved when people agree on a clear solution. When we try to...
Rachel Richardson
Apr 5, 20233 min read
19. Good Job - ego vs confidence
Imagine, a child loses a soccer game and nothing can cheer them up. Their reaction might be anything from whining, crying, blaming,...
Rachel Richardson
Mar 23, 20233 min read
18. Show Me - the secret to communication
Understanding little kids is like a genuine foreign language sometimes. Have you ever tried to learn a new language? It is truly...
Rachel Richardson
Feb 20, 20233 min read
17. Pardon My Hiatus - routines
As any mother knows, life ebbs and flows. At the end of a difficult phase blooms an entirely new challenge. My two year old, who was an...
Rachel Richardson
Jan 24, 20232 min read
16. Respectful Parenting - lower your expectations
The whole idea behind starting this blog was to show what “Respectful Parenting” means to me. It may appear so, with parents stooping...
Rachel Richardson
May 15, 20223 min read
15. Sensational Play - creating a "yes" space
I mentioned before how important the home environment is. And just briefly touched on the idea of a "yes" space. I felt that this could...
Rachel Richardson
May 11, 20224 min read
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