Raising Emotionally Healthy Kids: Book review

by Kathy Kuhl When I saw that Raising Emotionally Healthy Kids, Eliza Huie’s newest book, had come out this year, I was delighted to see this short, helpful book for parents. This experienced counselor packs a lot of information in a very short book. Eliza Huie takes a broad view of the child: […]
How Deschooling Can Help Your Child Recover from Painful School Situations

by Kathy Kuhl As a child, I liked school. As an adult, I know many excellent teachers. But some children and teens have very different experiences. They are miserable in school. That’s one reason some of us homeschool. That’s also why some kids need “deschooling.” Yesterday, the mother of such a boy wrote me. […]
Three Steps to Protect our Kids from Abusers

By Kathy Kuhl I don’t know any parents eager to talk to their kids about sexual abuse. But making body parts and sex unmentionable is more dangerous than being uncomfortable. I don’t want us to be paranoid, but “wise as serpents, innocent as doves.” This is a sad topic to consider, but ignoring it […]
Giving Thanks

by Kathy Kuhl Homeschooling is underway, the weather is changing, and you have dozens of things to do before the holidays, so I’ll keep this short. As good parents, you’ve been working on your kids manners for years. “What do you say?” we prompt them. “Thank you,” they learn, even when it comes out “Tank […]
Build your child’s empathy
by Kathy Kuhl How do we help kids develop empathy? Last week’s blog on how to support friends with children with challenges got me thinking about building empathy in our children and teens. Don’t miss the benefits of your child’s struggle We hate to see our children suffer, but suffering often helps kids […]
Being friends to children with challenges

by Kathy Kuhl How do we help our kids with special needs find and keep friends? One child’s story is attracting attention lately and can give us an opportunity. Bob Cornelius has a sixth grader with autism, a boy named Christopher, who attends public school. On a bulletin board in his son’s special needs classroom, […]
Replenish, take breaks, avoid burnout

by Kathy Kuhl Most of us have just started or are about to start a new school year. While you are opening new books and settling down to work, I want to encourage you to pace yourself, to replenish yourself to you can keep giving to your family all year. Get away to replenish If […]
7 ways to help children after adoption

by Kathy Kuhl I often talk with parents who have adopted or are fostering children who learn differently. Sometimes, after a child’s move from a hard situation, parents need extraordinary resources. Favorite resources for families after adoption The Center for Adoption Support and Education (CASE) helps foster and adoptive families. It “promotes adoption awareness, enhances […]
8 Steps to help your kids resist abuse

By Kathy Kuhl I’ve written before about preparing our children to resist and report abuse and attempted abuse, but the trial of Brock Turner has raised issues that are especially important for our kids who struggle to learn. I don’t recommend you talk to your children about R- and X-rated details of […]
Mother’s Day

by Kathy Kuhl Though my kids are grown, these last two week I’ve been doing important work, like you: changing diapers, reading aloud, interpreting baby talk, fixing snacks. I’ve been caring for my small granddaughter, so my dear daughter could study and write while they visited here. It was delightful. The empty nest seems too quiet now. […]