Parenting an adult child can be tricky.  They are clearly an adult but you may still worry about them like they live at home.  While you can’t exactly tell parents to stop worrying about their kids, parents can adjust the way they interact with their adult children to promote a different type of relationship.

Remember – They Aren’t Five Years Old Anymore

Your adult child is exactly that – an adult. You were an adult child of someone once, and I’ll be you can put yourself back in that frame of mind for a moment.  Do you think there were probably times your parents wished they could just shake you and make you straighten up?

Parents Want To Think The Best Of Our Kids

We parents are quite a protective lot.  We want to think the best of our kids as much as possible, we don’t want to believe they are going astray, and we worry about random hazards befalling them at all hours of the day.  But what happens when someone gives you real criticism about your child’s behavior, something that surprises or disappoints you?  Do you stay protective, get defensive, assume the worst?  How do you balance your protective nature and a problem that may really need to be addressed?

Loving Grandparents Are So Valuable

I firmly believe that one of the best things about being a kid is having grandparents.  They get to be indulged in a way parents often can’t or won’t.  You know, grandpa can get away with offering milkshakes at 10pm once in a while!  And grandmas are often better able to spend a whole afternoon with just one grandchild working on a project than parents can.

Of course, I have this opinion because mine were all very good to me and I miss them deeply since they have passed away.  One set lived halfway across the country, but they were very good about staying in touch, keeping track of our interests, and spending personal time with us when we did visit in person.  My other grandma was  a widow since before I was born.  She was my “everyday Grandma,” a wonderful consistent presence in my life.

Breathing – it’s something we often take for granted.  We can control it some of the time, but most of the work is done automatically by our beloved brain.  Have you ever gotten caught up in something exciting or stressful and suddenly notice how you are breathing?

Are you sometimes alarmed at how quick and tense your breathing becomes?  It can definitely show how relaxed or stressed you are at any given moment.  When you learn how to make your breathing work for you, you get calm and stay cool.

Many worries or emotional upsets don’t come on that strongly at once.  Sometimes it just creeps up on you, and suddenly you find yourself tense and tight.  This is a great time to try some breathing.

Today I’m introducing you to a semi-regular series called “Mental Health Quick Tips.”  I’ve discovered over the years that a person really needs to have a few important tools they can carry around with them at all times.  And I’m not talking about a hammer or pliers.

Coping With Everyday Mental Health Issues

Everyone gets nervous, sad, sleepless and angry sometimes.  Some people even get depressed or very anxious.  New moms, married people, parents with older children, retired people with extended family.  Whether you are experiencing this for a few hours or a few months, all you want to do is feel better.  And most importantly, your family is affected by the way you take care of your mental wellness.

Hello, readers.  Yesterday, you’ll recall I had some trouble falling asleep and had kind of a rough day.  Here’s the rest of the story.

Exercise Yielded Surprising Benefit

I had planned on doing a short exercise routine yesterday before I had my bad night of sleep.  Then when I felt so tired during the day, I was hesitant to do it.  But I went ahead and did it because I needed a break and I had promised myself I would stick with my plan.

You may have an image of depression in your mind, especially if you have not personally experienced or witnessed depression before.  However, there are plenty of times a person who has endured depression can have little “flare-ups” of symptoms.  They may not look like depression to the untrained eye, but they certainly come from that same dark place.

I had such a flare-up today.

Hello everyone.  This week’s Around The Web puts a focus on early childhood development.  Take a look at two great resources.

Zero To Three

Zerotothree.org  I found this website a few years ago when my youngest was still a toddler.  It’s for professionals, policy makers and parents so the resources are kind of a mixed bag.  They have a “download of the week” on the right sidebar which is currently a handout on 24-30 months.  My favorite is the interactive “Baby Brain Map” just above that.  Try it out!

I recently heard something about counselors and camps discouraging kids from having best friends.  Just today I found the original New York Times article that was referenced over the news.  Sigh…sometimes I just have to shake my head with  the “solutions” people come up with.

No Best Friends Doesn’t Equal Anti-Bullying

I am a bit miffed that this torked outlook on friendships is being touted as a way to promote an anti-bullying environment.  Anti-bullying measures are supposed to be about keeping kids from doing harm to each other.  It’s not supposed to water down the concept of friendship.  In fact in my opinion, having a best friend or two has very little to do with bullying.

Being “not invited” to connect with a desirable social group can feel bad.  Choosing to play with just one or two friends can be somewhat upsetting to those who wish to join in.  But that’s not the same as using domination, humiliation and threats to make a person feel small and worthless.

Happy Birthday, America!

Today is a special and fun holiday for Americans.  Grilling, camping, hanging out in the yard or at the lake, fireworks, seeing friends, and celebrating.  We all love celebrating birthdays, and this one is no different.  America is like a giant family, not just of citizens but of states as well.  I got a whole new perspective on this last night as I was watching some History Channel after everyone in my house had gone to bed.