7 Drama-Free Strategies for Getting Kids to Do Chores

“No parent is full of more false hope than one with a new chore chart,” declared Simon Holland’s viral tweet that had parents everywhere laughing and nodding in agreement. For a household to function, there are chores that need to be done. But trying to get your kids to help you accomplish them can be […]

Your Kid’s Room: Knowing When to Let it Go

Your kid is a slob and your husband isn’t far from it. The chaos is making you crazy.   But how do you know when to let it go and when to lay down the law? We asked John Duffy, clinical psychologist and author of “The Available Parent: Radical Optimism for Raising Teens and Tweens” […]

Middle School: 10 Things Your Kids Can and Should Do

It will make your life easier!   It’s tough to be in middle school: too young to do everything you want to do, yet feeling too old for the things you used to do. It’s the perfect age to start developing some real adult-level life skills. Not only are these worthwhile things to know, but […]

High School: 10 Things Your Kids Can and Should Do

It will make your life easier!   The high school years go by too fast. As I anticipate sending my oldest child off to college in the fall, I worry that I haven’t taught her everything she needs to know. Have I done everything I should have to prepare her? While I’m sure there are […]

Steps Kids Can Take on Road to Independence

You’ve read the advice more than once–kids, even young ones, can and should help around the house. Here’s what they can do:   Make It Better asked Annette B. Kulle, Head of School at Countryside Montessori School in Northbrook for a few practical chores and activities kids can accomplish that contribute to the family. “Children […]

Chores Make Better Kids

We all know the routine. Ask a child to make his bed and pick up his dirty socks.  And hours later, the blankets are still twisted up on the bed, and the smelly socks still give the room a musky perfume. Rather than nag more, I sometimes think: “It’s easier if I just do it […]