6 Truths About Helicopter Parents
My parenting style can be best described as a hybrid mashup—a combination of authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. But if one parenting style was to surface and all others sink, at the end of the day I would emerge a predominantly helicopter parent. The term "helicopter parenting" was coined back in 1990 by child development researchers Foster Cline and Jim Fay in their book, Parenting With Love and Logic. Helicopter parents, according to the official definition, take an overprotective or excessive interest in the life of Read more
How to Plan the Ultimate Staycation
Who wouldn’t want to take a vacation every month, or even every weekend? Unfortunately for most, there isn’t room for a trip in the schedule—or budget. Plus, as most holiday vacations prove, it can be exhausting and overwhelming to coordinate a family trip out of town. That’s why many people in need of a small getaway take staycations instead. Staycations allow you to relax and do fun activities with your family, all without the expense of travel or booking Read more
Top of the Tingles: The ASMR A-List
Relaxation. Euphoria. Tingling. These are the words used to describe the result of an Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or ASMR, trigger. In a piece I recently wrote for Sanity & Self, I describe the concept as "the physical response to auditory, visual, or tactile triggers, usually a tingly sensation similar to feeling chills. Think of the goosebumps you might get when someone whispers into your ear. That’s ASMR. Most experts attribute ASMR’s relaxing sensations to the release of endorphins, Read more
Self-Discovery Questions to Ask Yourself Each Day
In today’s uber-connected world, it’s so easy to get caught up in your phone wherever you go. Whether you're responding to work emails, organizing your kids’ schedules, or updating your Instagram, the hours can fly by before you know it. While this is certainly convenient, it can become unhealthy if it turns into a habit. Because we’re all so busy, your mental health could be suffering and you wouldn’t even know it because you’re too preoccupied to pay attention Read more
For many, technology improves the comfort and quality of life. It makes it easier to obtain information online, check email, and chat with friends from all over the globe. However, parenting in this digital age is associated with many challenges. Online child predators, cyberbullying, and identity theft are notable concerns for all parents. Using parental-control apps can help keep your children safe. Read more
Whether you’re buying your first home or you’ve been away from the housing market for a few years, it’s good to be prepared ahead of time. After all, it can be difficult to know what a seller means when the house sports an “as-is” label. With that in mind, here is what you need to consider when buying a home in today’s market. Read more
Trekking across a winter landscape can be a tricky endeavor. From snow blanketing the ground to temperatures dipping into the negatives, winter creates issues with safety and navigation. Pets must also deal with winter. Although many are covered in fur and have pads on their feet, pets and cold weather present some unique challenges. For example, dogs like Mutt Mulligan, the new TurfMutt Foundation spokes dog, enjoy sniffing, exploring, and digging in the winter wonderland. But there are some simple steps pet owners need to take to ensure their fur babies are safe and healthy during the cold weather months. Read more
The love we have for the members of our family goes far beyond a group hug or cooking their favorite meals. And while it is important that we let them know how much they mean to us, often it isn’t very easy to come up with more significant ways in which we can express our appreciation for those special people in our lives. While small gestures go a long way, there are several bigger picture ways in which we can show our admiration. Read more
In the world of raising kiddos, there are various parenting styles that we tend to gravitate toward, whether intentional or not. Permissive parenting is one of the currently trending, yet more controversial ways to raise a child. Permissive parenting, also known as indulgent parenting, is a type of parenting style characterized by “low demands with high responsiveness.” Permissive parents usually want to be viewed as a “friend” rather than a figure of authority. Although permissive parents are very responsive to a child’s emotional needs, they typically do not set limits or reinforce boundaries. Permissive parenting is across the spectrum from helicopter parenting, where parents hover over a child’s every move—providing a ton of direction, discipline, and feedback. Read more
During your next grocery run, you may notice changes to the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods. The Food and Drug Administration issued new regulations for the Nutrition Facts label to reflect updated scientific information about what constitutes a healthy diet. The new label will be required on all packaged foods made in the U.S. and imported. Here are several changes that are being implemented this year in regard to the Nutrition Facts label: Read more
The New Year brings a fresh start, new opportunities and a chance to examine your environment to see if what surrounds you is positive or negative. While there is no “right way” to practice resolution-setting, this year avoid looking inwards for something to change and instead question if the people around you are being their best self.
Whether you see an opportunity to help a friend, contribute to your community, or make more time for family, a little organization and scheduling can make a big difference in reaching your goal. Whatever your goals are for the New Year, there are always opportunities to teach your children the importance of lifting others on your way to personal success. By spreading kindness you are more likely to inspire others as well as receive a little love in return. This can be in ways of sharing, saying thank you, or just thinking of others before yourself.
To provide a family-friendly activity for the New Year your whole family can benefit from, FTD has created three “New Year, New Me” kindness calendars that are versatile for every month of the year. Read more
My parenting style can be best described as a hybrid mashup—a combination of authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. But if one parenting style was to surface and all others sink, at the end of the day I would emerge a predominantly helicopter parent.
The term “helicopter parenting” was coined back in 1990 by child development researchers Foster Cline and Jim Fay in their book, Parenting With Love and Logic. Helicopter parents, according to the official definition, take an overprotective or excessive interest in the life of their child or children. Most helicopter parents are guilty of rescuing their children, rather than giving them freedom and autonomy. “They’re forever running lunches, permission slips, band instruments, and homework assignments to school,” the authors wrote at the time. In an updated version of their book, they go on to say, “These parents are obsessed with a desire to create a perfect world for their kids…one in which they never have to face struggle, inconvenience, discomfort, or disappointment.” Read more
