Respond v. React by Linda Michie, Executive Director and Founder at Wishing Well Adoption & Family Services For the purpose of this line of thinking, let’s define reacting as something you do in the moment without thinking about it first. People say “knee-jerk-reaction” referring to the involuntary movement of your leg when your doctor hits … [Read more…]
Making Children Behave by Linda Michie, Executive Director and Founder of Wishing Well Adoption & Family Services You can’t make children behave. You can’t really make anybody do anything. You can inspire them. You can teach them the benefits of being good. You can set a good example. You can reward them when they are … [Read more…]
by Linda Michie, Executive Director and Founder at Wishing Well Adoption & Family Services All you need is love . . . right? Wrong. You need skills. Parenting skills. In my work I have supervised hundreds of parents who have had problems with the courts, and Child Protective Services because they mistreated their children. They … [Read more…]
Sleeping with Baby by Linda Michie Executive Director and Founder of Wishing Well Adoption & Family Services This will be the most important blog I ever write. Please help me share this information any chance you get with anyone who will listen. Last year 37 healthy babies died, in Hampton Roads alone, due to Sudden … [Read more…]
by Linda Michie, Executive Director and Founder at Wishing Well Adoption & Family Services Many years ago I attended a wonderful training to become a mediator. During the training, the instructors had us play a card game. No one was allowed to talk. They gave us written instructions for the game with a point value … [Read more…]
by Linda Michie, Executive Director and Founder at Wishing Well Adoption & Family Services If at all possible, before you have children, heal yourself. If you already have children, start today. Deal with your old hurts and resentments. Put to rest your old pain, family grudges, and childhood disappointments. Pack up your past and throw … [Read more…]
by Linda Michie, Executive Director and Founder at Wishing Well Adoption & Family Services Should we admit fault to our children? ABSOLUTELY! If you’ve ever been wronged and the person hasn’t taken responsibility for their actions, you know exactly how this feels. This is breeding ground for mistrust, disappointment, resentment, and distancing. You wanted them … [Read more…]
by Linda Michie, Executive Director and Founder at Wishing Well Adoption & Family Services Ahhh, the old helpless routine… Sometimes quite the mystery. She can’t do something today that she did easily yesterday. What’s going on here? Often she’s just asking for some of your time, to be close, have you to herself. Sometimes she’s … [Read more…]
by Linda Michie, Executive Director and Founder at Wishing Well Adoption & Family Services First let me say that if this is a simple “whaa” because a child did not get his way, ignore it. Step right on by and go in another room. Most of the time a tantrum with no audience loses its … [Read more…]
by Linda Michie, Executive Director and Founder at Wishing Well Adoption & Family Services Children need to be safe. Children need to feel safe. This is the #1 non-negotiable aspect of parenting. If your children are not safe, get them somewhere where they can be safe and feel safe. No matter what the cost. Children … [Read more…]