http://www.sheknows.com/authors/jen-klein/articles Wed, 25 May 2011 06:07:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/830749/how-to-help-your-child-manage-simple-fears It’s that shriek you know well. “Mommy, I’m scared!” What is it this time, you wonder and groan? A dog? A dust bunny? Something else you know to be perfectly fine? But your child is scared. Your child has developed a fear, however irrational it seems to you, and it must be managed -- before it becomes a true phobia. Fear is a very normal human emotion, but helping your little sweetheart figure all that out can be as challenging for you as that shriek. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/830749/how-to-help-your-child-manage-simple-fears Jen Klein Mon, 16 May 2011 06:03:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/830747/monday-mom-challenge-face-your-fears Everybody is afraid of something: illness, failure, lightning, spiders. Even if a person claims to be afraid of nothing, there’s a pretty high likelihood that person has at least experienced fear in the past. It’s a very basic human emotion -- often a protective instinct and sometimes associated with hope and expectation. No matter what your fears, they are a part of your life, and you have to learn to live with them and manage them. Sometimes, though, fear borders on phobia and holds you back from life. Is it time to face your fears so you can move forward? http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/830747/monday-mom-challenge-face-your-fears Jen Klein Mon, 25 Jul 2011 07:57:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/830477/adventure-outings-with-the-family You’ve done the bike rides and hikes and had a great time. But your kids are getting older and they are ready for more. You’re thinking it’s time to take the adrenaline up a level, to have some outings as a family that push the limits. Sure, a little riskier in some ways, but there must be businesses out there ready to offer adventure activities to families in as safe a manner as possible. Yes, there are. And your family is going to have a blast. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/830477/adventure-outings-with-the-family Jen Klein Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:28:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/830475/how-to-keep-your-adrenaline-seeking-child-safe You’ve got one of those kids who just loves adrenaline and to push his or herself beyond the comfort zone. Most of the time everything is fine, but you do find yourself gasping every now and again -- and you’ve become quite skilled with the antibacterial ointment and bandages. On one hand you don’t necessarily want to limit your adventuresome child, but you are worried about safety. How do you keep this kind of a child safe -- or at least keep injuries to a minimum? And can you? http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/830475/how-to-keep-your-adrenaline-seeking-child-safe Jen Klein Tue, 17 May 2011 16:22:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/830305/why-is-one-child-a-risk-taker-and-the-other-a-couch-potato Every day mothers across the country and across the world marvel: How can two children from the same home be so different?! Same mother, same father, same household expectations….yet one is a risk-taker and would think nothing of jumping on a skateboard without a helmet to try a major hill and the other is firmly attached to the relative safety of the couch and thinks adventure is trying a new video game. One craves adrenaline and the other fears it. As a mom, how do you handle these two very risk-different kids and their very different comfort zones? How do you help you kids balance their inherent risk-taking natures? http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/830305/why-is-one-child-a-risk-taker-and-the-other-a-couch-potato Jen Klein Mon, 23 May 2011 06:27:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/830303/monday-mom-challenge-take-a-risk Were you, in your youth, a risk-taker? Before you became a mom, did steep hills on your mountain bike not faze you in the least? Did you actually jump out of a plane? Was adrenaline your friend? And did you, after having kids, drop all that? Are you all about attached to the ground safety now? Has your comfort zone become smaller and smaller? Maybe it’s time to break out of the classic mom mold and get in touch with your inner adrenaline junkie. It’s time to take a risk. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/830303/monday-mom-challenge-take-a-risk Jen Klein Wed, 18 May 2011 09:17:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829795/3-tips-for-helping-your-child-establish-strong-interpersonal-relationships Teaching our kids about relationships -- friendships, family relationships, romantic relationships and professional relationships -- is one of the every day constants of parenting. And it’s one we don’t really think about -- much less talk about -- nearly as much as we should. Kids need a huge amount of guidance in learning how to manage interpersonal relationships: When they're good and when they're not so good, when they‘re new and when they are under repair, and under many other circumstances. And they need it from us. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829795/3-tips-for-helping-your-child-establish-strong-interpersonal-relationships Jen Klein Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:30:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829791/how-to-repair-your-relationship-with-your-child If we’re being honest, we have to admit that sometimes we really mess up in our relationship with our kids. As much as we talk about cutting ourselves slack for not being perfect, there are times we mess up big time, and we end up with work to do to repair and rebuild the relationship with our child. It’s a horrible feeling for both of you, but the sooner you start repairing, the sooner you and your child will be back on track. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829791/how-to-repair-your-relationship-with-your-child Jen Klein Thu, 21 Jul 2011 11:24:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829617/how-to-mend-fences-with-your-extended-family While many of us count “family” as an area of primary importance in our lives, many of us also may have a little secret: a rift with a member of that family. Whether over something “little” or “big,” mistakes are made and feelings get hurt in even the most loving and tight-knit of extended families. Rifts happen, sadly, and whether they are short-lived or of longer duration, it takes some effort to repair and rebuild the relationship. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829617/how-to-mend-fences-with-your-extended-family Jen Klein Mon, 09 May 2011 06:17:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829615/monday-mom-challenge-repair-your-romance Every romance has ups and downs. And when a romantic pair is also a parental pair, it can take extra work to keep the romance alive. There’s much you can endure and ride out -- but you may occasionally find you need to engage in a bit of romantic relationships repair. Whether or not a specific relationship mistake has been made, you need to rebuild and restore that lovin’ feeling. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829615/monday-mom-challenge-repair-your-romance Jen Klein Wed, 25 May 2011 09:20:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829163/seasonal-activities-that-build-the-family-bond You’ve got your daily and weekly routine down pat. You even have a couple of monthly activities that are important to your family’s centeredness. While in some ways that may seem like enough, there are a few more opportunities to establish special family traditions. In the effort to create a grounded, connected family on the path of life together, all efforts count: The day-to-day, the month-to-month and the season-to-season. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829163/seasonal-activities-that-build-the-family-bond Jen Klein Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:15:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829161/monthly-rituals-that-keep-the-family-connected Keeping your family together is a full-time job, but that doesn’t mean it’s all work. Planning the regular rituals that become part of the family lore and tradition take effort at the outset, but they are well worth the return in fun and family bonding. Establishing rituals and traditions beyond major holidays creates a shared foundation for the family story. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829161/monthly-rituals-that-keep-the-family-connected Jen Klein Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:09:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829157/weekly-rituals-that-keep-the-family-connected While the early childhood years are often taken over with the need just to get through the day -- and what long, long days they are! -- as kids get older and lives get busier, we tend to look for more and different ways to maintain the family sense of connection. Routine and ritual become tradition in themselves as we look for regular and frequent ways to focus on family togetherness and connection. If that regular ritual has been lost for your family, you can create it anew. Start by creating new weekly rituals. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829157/weekly-rituals-that-keep-the-family-connected Jen Klein Mon, 02 May 2011 06:04:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829153/monday-mom-challenge-define-your-family-traditions Routine. Kids tend to thrive on it -- and adults find comfort in it, too. Whether it’s the rhythm of a morning as the house rouses or the comfort of bedtime patterns starting with the youngest member of the family and flowing right through to your lights out, ritual is a part of our lives. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/829153/monday-mom-challenge-define-your-family-traditions Jen Klein Thu, 19 May 2011 08:10:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/828645/talking-careers-with-your-younger-children “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a ubiquitous question. And it’s the way we start, at a very early age, to introduce our children to the idea of work. The question is not a serious one when the children are young -- the responses are as much for our entertainment as anything else -- but they are a starting off point for a childhood-long introduction to careers, jobs -- and the education to get one there. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/828645/talking-careers-with-your-younger-children Jen Klein Mon, 27 Jun 2011 07:05:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/828643/monday-mom-challenge-is-it-time-for-you-to-switch-careers If you are one of the many moms who have a second job outside the home, you likely have thought long and hard about work-life balance. You balance your career and the time and educational investment into it with the needs and demands and joys of family life. But when you think about your work life, when was the last time you asked yourself, “Is this the right job for me? Do I love what I do?” If the answer is not an unequivocal yes, it might be time to make a change. It might be time for a new career. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/828643/monday-mom-challenge-is-it-time-for-you-to-switch-careers Jen Klein Tue, 12 Apr 2011 09:12:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/828015/encouraging-visual-arts-at-a-young-age If you consider yourself a creative or artistic person -- and even if you don’t -- you may be thinking about ways to encourage your child in the visual arts. Whether you hope your child becomes a practicing artist or just want to encourage arts expression as part of a complete education, you can start encouraging visual arts in your child at a very young age. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/828015/encouraging-visual-arts-at-a-young-age Jen Klein Fri, 13 May 2011 14:07:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/828013/supplementing-your-childs-art-education School budgets all over the country are taking hits. Hard, hard hits. Even while there are increasing demands on academic performance and standardized test scores, there is less money for curriculum. And even less money is available for arts education. What many consider a “nice to have but not necessary” expressive outlet for kids is getting cut hard. That means that if you believe that arts education is an integral part of your child’s education, you’re going to have to supplement your child’s art education. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/828013/supplementing-your-childs-art-education Jen Klein Wed, 20 Jul 2011 07:01:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/828011/should-you-encourage-your-teenager-to-go-to-art-school “Mom, I decided I want to go to art school.” The words hang in the air. Sure, you’ve encouraged your child’s artistic and creative expression through his academic career -- but as a complement to the math and science and history education. You figured he’d aim for something a little more….practical. Doctor? Lawyer? CPA? Artist really wasn’t in your differential. But it's here now. Should you encourage your child to go to art school? http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/828011/should-you-encourage-your-teenager-to-go-to-art-school Jen Klein Mon, 20 Jun 2011 09:33:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/828009/monday-mom-challenge-get-in-touch-with-your-inner-artist Do you ever look at crafts and artwork and think, “I could never do that!” Do you get frustrated crafting with your kids, thinking it’s not good enough? Do you marvel when your friends show you their newly spruced up powder room and wonder how they even conceived of it? Do you daydream of an Etsy shop of your own -- even if you have no idea what would be in it? Yeah, lots of us do. But there’s a little bit of artist and creative talent in everyone -- even moms who think they can't be creative. You just need to let it out! It’s time to let go of that self-doubt and allow your personal creative expression to shine through! It's time to get in touch with your inner artist. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/828009/monday-mom-challenge-get-in-touch-with-your-inner-artist Jen Klein