If the pandemic has taught us anything, it has taught us to slow down and appreciate the moments we have with our loved ones. On the flip side, it has also caused some additional stressors for parents as they have had to play the role of teacher while also fulfilling their work demands. And as we knew before the pandemic, children […]
November 16th 2021 The Power of Predictability As hectic as life is most days, parents are often more concerned with getting everything done instead of strategically planning out their day so that it is predictable for their children. Knowing what activities to expect each day and knowing how parents will respond at the moment is […]
How To Manage Your Child’s Temperament Every child is born with their own unique way of interacting with the world. Some are flexible in the midst of change while others may experience stress when presented with new situations or a change in schedule. This is what is referred to as temperament. And while some temperaments […]
Hey Parents, I wanted to share some great tips on the Parent SKILLZ strategy: EDUTAINMENT. As I posted last week, “Be the parent your child needs you to be.” Children hardly ever embrace the concept of learning. As a parent, this can be very frustrating because our primary role is to teach children skills necessary to become […]
5 TIPS TO HELP YOUR KIDS WANT TO WORK OUT The percentage of children with obesity in the United States has more than tripled since the 1970s. Today, about one in five school-aged children (ages 6–19) has obesity. Childhood obesity has immediate and long-term impacts on physical, social, and emotional health. Children with obesity are at […]
DOPAMINE The Key to Increased Motivation and Focus in Children and Teens Have you ever wondered why children and teens seem to be so addicted to their smartphones and other devices? Parents are frustrated with their children’s lack of attention and motivation but what do their devices have to do with this? The answer is […]
As seasoned Pediatric Ninja Specialists, we have witnessed just about every sort of behavior and outburst from working with thousands of kids over the years. We have seen it all from playful name calling to angry tantrums. Some things are hard to not take personally, but our experience allows us to put things into […]
Does your 3 to 6 year old child have a hard time making good decisions? That’s OK! Often times the Early (3-4) and Basic (5-6) SKILLZ ninjas may find it difficult to follow the rules. The good news is that they are not doing this on purpose. After years of working with this age group […]
As parents, we want what’s best for our children, and we also want our children to give it their best when they participate in extra-curricular sports and activities. The problem is, we sometimes get caught up in our desire to see our children perform well and we speak up at the wrong times. With that […]
Have you ever wondered why children and teens seem to be so addicted to their smartphones and other devices? Parents are frustrated with their children’s lack of attention and motivation but what do their devices have to do with this? Often referred to as the “motivator molecule,” dopamine is a “feel good” chemical that is […]
Have you ever had a “gut feeling” about something? Have you ever considered that children have these as well? Of course they do! The problem is, they don’t know how to express this to us. They know something doesn’t feel right, so they act out or exhibit a grumpy mood. The good news is, there […]
Oxytocin has been dubbed the “love chemical.” It is the hormone that is released when we feel love and trust in relationships. For most people, they know oxytocin as a significant part of the parent-child bonding process. However, it is also very important in overall human relationships and is considered our “social glue.” The release […]
How to Build Adaptability Into Your Parenting Guest post by martial artist, childhood development specialist, and Skillz creator, Melody Johnson Adaptability Adaptability is about how you respond to your child, especially when things do not go as planned. Your child will have a variety of great days, bad days, and everything in between. Here are a few ways […]