Talking about Relationships

Letters to My Daughter: Let’s Talk about Gaslighting

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Sometimes, the best warning a parent can give their child is: watch this, watch this movie a hundred times. So it is the case with the 1944 movie Gaslight, a terrifying life lesson wrapped in less than two hours. Warning: Spoilers ahead! A husband viciously exploits his wife’s sweet naivety, leading her to doubt her own sanity. As a young girl, Paula witnessed the murder of her famous opera singer aunt (and guardian) in their London home. The murder isn’t solved, and Paula is sent …

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Mummy, Where Do Babies Come from? A Few Books to Spark a Gentle Introduction to a Sensitive Topic 

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I have been waiting for this question for a few years now. When my six-year-old daughter finally asked me one day about babies, I reached out to the books I had bought long ago. First, I asked my daughter what she knew about this topic. Remember the extra virgin oil commercial? Since she didn’t know anything, I proceeded with the books. I want to say there was an order to my method, but who are we kidding? I just grabbed one of the books listed …

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The Wisdom of Children’s Book “The Missing Piece meets the Big O” in Describing Relationships, Breakups, and Self-Discovery

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Now and then, I come across children’s books that express profound life lessons through soul-stirring imagery and minimalist choice of words. Reminiscing about an age that thought in metaphors and spoke in rhymes, these books talk on different levels to small children, bigger kids and adults.  Anyone who writes down to children is simply wasting his time. You have to write up, not down. Children are demanding. They are the most attentive, curious, eager, observant, sensitive, quick, and generally congenial readers on earth. They …

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Four Compassionate Picture Books For Children About Death

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It might very well happen that a child learns about death from fairy tales, where monsters die and the good triumphs. The death of these characters reassures children that all is good with the world: evil is defeated, and good prevails. Yes, there are turns and twists in fairy tales, and the heroes have to prove themselves, but in the end, we all know how the story ends. Nasty things happen to nasty people, and good things happen to good people. And children do …

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Talking about Relationships with Our Children

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While reading Between: A guide for parents of eight to thirteen-year-olds  (a great read full of practical advice), I came across a crucial topic that caregivers need to discuss with their children. What should our children look for in a positive relationship, and what red flags they must check? Positive signs for a healthy relationship  Both people trust, respect and support each other.   Both people enjoy spending time together and having fun. There is honest and open communication between both people.  Being with that partner brings …

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