At a time when politics and power decide who is important enough to be fed, to be safe, to be free, those of us who have a voice in this world must s… - L.R. Knost

Forgiving ourselves and learning from our inevitable mistakes transforms failure from a stumbling block into a stepping stone.

Every strength has a corresponding challenge and every challenge has a corresponding strength. The inattentive child may be a deep thinker. The uncooperative child may be a good leader. The emotionally-charged child may be gifted with exceptional empathy. The rule-defying child may be an out-of-the-box innovator.

When faced with challenging behaviors, look for the corresponding strength, and focus on nurturing that gift while providing gentle guidance and coping techniques for the challenging areas. That is the essence of working with, instead of against, our children.

the fact is that hurting people hurt people, and children raised with condemnation in whatever form it takes are hurting people. Period. Words matter.