Making the commitment to positive parenting is not always as simple as we wish. During times of chaos, stress, and anxiety (for us or our kids), sticking with a positive parenting approach often needs to be a very conscious and deliberate choice. It doesn’t always come naturally! 

That’s why I’m looking forward to the Positive Parenting Conference this year- it’s an opportunity to tune up my skills, hone in on new ideas, and feel supported by the amazing experts involved. One such expert, Natasha Daniels, speaks of a topic near and dear to my own heart in her Understanding Anxiety in Teens Masterclass.

Natasha is a child anxiety and OCD therapist speaking to us on the ideas, tips, and tricks she writes about in her book Anxiety Sucks! A Teen Survival Guide. Natasha has been supporting children, teens and parents for years through private practice and through her writing with a direct, focused approach. The unique thing about Natasha’s book is that while parents will benefit from reading it, the targeted audience is our teenagers. The book is easy to follow; it breaks anxiety down in a simplistic and concrete way that teenagers will benefit from and understand.

As the parent of a child who struggles with anxiety, I appreciate Natasha’s straightforward attitude. As the editor for the AFineParent blog, I was lucky enough to get early access to this informative and insightful masterclass. Natasha will literally transform your entire mindset on anxiety in all its themed forms, from perfectionism to public speaking to social anxiety, in this masterclass. [Read more…]

Is screen time a constant battle in your home? At the upcoming Positive Parenting Conference 2022, be sure to check out the Screen Kids Masterclass.

Based on the book Screen Kids: 5 Relational Skills Every Child Needs in a Tech-Driven World, this masterclass is an interview with Arlene Pellicane, one of the book’s authors. Arlene is a writer and a public speaker, and perhaps most importantly she’s also a mom of three beautiful children. So, Arlene absolutely understands the struggle.

I was lucky enough to be a researcher for this masterclass, and I was deeply impressed with Arlene’s knowledge, empathy, and expert advice. She has a wealth of insight into this topic and has such a friendly, personable way of educating and informing us that it’s easy to walk away with lots of new information and ideas. 

While the Screen Kids Masterclass was packed with ideas, what really stood out to me was the reality check that Arlene gives on the impact of screen time on our child’s brain development, as that’s been a concern of mine since I first started letting my oldest child watch cartoons. Another growing issue in my own household has been anger management (for both my child and myself!), so I was also interested to hear her discuss the connection between screen time and anger management. But equally important to me was Arlene’s emphasis on the importance of books on building attention spans; we’re big readers in this household!  [Read more…]

It’s not long now until the launch of the 2022 Positive Parenting Conference! Many years ago, this was the conference that overhauled my parenting style, giving me the confidence and tools to help my family thrive. I’m excited to hear from more experts and to get more practical parenting gems of advice. 

As a member of the AFineParent Academy, I was thrilled when it was announced that we’d get early access to the masterclasses, well before the conference. One of the masterclasses we got early is this inspiring session with Audrey Monke. Audrey is mother to five children and an adored Camp Director with over 30 years of experience working with thousands of children, young adult staff, and parents. 

Her book, Happy Campers: 9 Summer Camp Secrets for Raising Kids Who Become Thriving Adults, shares a wealth of research and practical tips to bring the joys of summer camp into everyday life. It was a pleasure listening to someone who clearly believes and practices the wisdom she shares.

While Audrey shared many great ideas in her Camp-Inspired Parenting Masterclass, what really stood out to me was her insight around connection, kindness and grit. Not only does she teach us why these areas are so important, but she also shows us how we can all build these skills in our families.

Here are my 3 key takeaways from this masterclass –

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In just a few weeks we will have the opportunity to open ourselves up to a wealth of learning at the 2022 Positive Parenting Conference. If you are anything like me, you might try to build in a little extra time that week to be able to watch as many of the masterclasses as possible and let the ideas sink in. In preparation for the conference this year, we are giving you a little sneak peek at some of the masterclasses and some key learning moments to anticipate! 

One expert, Dr. Vanessa Lapointe, gives us a heartfelt take on how we can show up for our kids in the ways that they need. In the Discipline Without Damage Masterclass, Dr. Lapointe gets beautifully personal in her examples of how important the work of knowing what our kids need is for our families. 

Dr. Lapointe is a registered psychologist, parenting educator, best-selling author and international speaker. Having founded The Wishing Star Lapointe Developmental Clinic and also serving as its director, she has been supporting families and children for over 20 years. She is also–very importantly–a mom; her work comes straight from her heart. 

I was the masterclass researcher for Discipline Without Damage: How to Get Your Kids to Behave Without Messing Them Up, which is the inspiration book for this masterclass. So, I got an early look at Dr. Lapointe’s masterclass interview with Lisa Hoashi from our AFineParent Team. I am excited to share my favorite takeaways with you today! Take a look below to see if this is a masterclass you want to add to your “Must-Watch” list so you can tailor your conference experience to your family’s needs! [Read more…]