The enemy of all marketing is confusion. Marketing should point to a problem, offer a solution, and give a plan to engage with your brand. It’s a lot like a short story. I’m a children’s book author. Currently, I have two published books for kids and another one on the way. I’ve also been a storyteller for most of my …
How to Overcome the Old Evil of Racism with a New Narrative of Kindness
What do you do when kids overhear stories of vile racism as they walk past their dad on the couch watching the evening news? How do you talk to a child who comes home after “learning” a new slur from a friend? And how do you help the child who was victimized by a racist in the community? Will we …
How to Raise Better Teenagers and Not Die Trying
I get asked how to raise teenagers from time to time. It’s time to let you in on a little secret; once they are teenagers… the raising is done. And if it isn’t done, then at very least it is really different. Here’s what I mean. When your kids were little you needed to do everything for them. They had …
10 Awesome Gift Ideas for the Best Teachers this Christmas
Have you ever found yourself struggling to find the perfect gift for that amazing teacher in your kid’s life just days before the Christmas holidays? Remembrance Day is done and in my home, that means it’s time to prepare for Christmas! It might seem a bit early to start thinking about what your kid will buy their teacher for Christmas, …
Ideas for a Home-Bound Halloween
Halloween is mere days away and you are starting to feel nervous about the rise of COVID cases. Our family will likely do a home-bound Halloween this year because we have some immune-compromised kids and for us, it’s just not worth the risk. You can imagine how popular this is going to be with our kids. Good thing 1) it’s …
3 Ways that Trauma is a thief (and what you can do about it)
I always like a good heist movie. Where there is an underdog who’s a thief and goes all “Robinhood” on the rich casino owner. I mean if the likable bad guy steals from the unlikable bad guy, (who happens to be astronomically wealthier and more evil comparatively,) then surely crime is ok! Until it’s real life and you’re the victim. …
Everything I learned from Lorelai Gilmore is wrong!
A few years ago we watched all the seasons of Gilmore Girls on Netflix and I wrote a blog about it. Well we’re watching again, so I thought I would ressurect that oldie from the blog-vault at mysteinbach.ca. Enjoy! (My opinions haven’t changed… in case you’re wondering!) Everything I learned from Lorelai Gilmore is wrong! Let me tell you what …
Getting Ready for Halloween Sensory Overload
Here we go; t-minus 12 days to Halloween. Any of these situations feel familiar? Your kid has trouble regulating the best day and she is already planning her costume for Halloween. It has flashing lights, doesn’t fit right, has uncomfortable fabric, and stinks like a second-hand store. Perfect for a kid with a sensory processing disorder, but she wore it …
Three Reasons Every Parent (and teacher) Needs A Behaviour Diary
The kid is at it again. For no apparent reason he has thrown his lunch across the room. Or she has screamed uncontrollably at 3:15 PM. Or you feel sluggish and have low capacity by noon. There might not be an “apparent” reason, but I promise you, there is always a reason for behaviour. So what can you do about …
Three Things we Got Wrong as New Foster Parents (So You Wouldn’t Have To!)
Did you ever have that distinct feeling as a new parent that you had just brought a stranger into you home? I do. In fact, I remember sitting in our living room at 3 AM with Malachi screaming thinking, “I literally have no idea what you are trying to tell me.” We didn’t have a clue about what we had just gotten …
Blurred family faces and other things foster families wished you understood
Every so often I like to let non-foster families in on our world just a little bit. This is the kind of post where I guarantee I will get foster parents reading to see if I got it right (with “Amen’s” and additional suggestions in the comments). But it’s not really a blog for them. This one is for the …
What Picture Books Teach Us About Great Marketing
The enemy of all marketing is confusion. Marketing should point to a problem, offer a solution, and give a plan to engage with your brand. It’s a lot like a short story. I’m a children’s book author. Currently, I have two published books for kids and another one on the way. I’ve also been a storyteller for most of my …
Three Things we Got Wrong as New Foster Parents (So You Wouldn’t Have To!)
Did you ever have that distinct feeling as a new parent that you had just brought a stranger into you home? I do. In fact, I remember sitting in our living room at 3 AM with Malachi screaming thinking, “I literally have no idea what you are trying to tell me.” We didn’t have a clue about what we had just gotten …
Blurred family faces and other things foster families wished you understood
Every so often I like to let non-foster families in on our world just a little bit. This is the kind of post where I guarantee I will get foster parents reading to see if I got it right (with “Amen’s” and additional suggestions in the comments). But it’s not really a blog for them. This one is for the …
Compassion For Every Parent
Most work in child welfare involves some level of heartbreak; which is really tough. But it also involves the chance to grow in compassion; which is great! In the past, I have said that as soon as Child and Family Services is involved, we are trying to fit bandages on top of bandages. In other words, something is broken. And …
How to Overcome the Old Evil of Racism with a New Narrative of Kindness
What do you do when kids overhear stories of vile racism as they walk past their dad on the couch watching the evening news? How do you talk to a child who comes home after “learning” a new slur from a friend? And how do you help the child who was victimized by a racist in the community? Will we …
How to Raise Better Teenagers and Not Die Trying
I get asked how to raise teenagers from time to time. It’s time to let you in on a little secret; once they are teenagers… the raising is done. And if it isn’t done, then at very least it is really different. Here’s what I mean. When your kids were little you needed to do everything for them. They had …
Everything I learned from Lorelai Gilmore is wrong!
A few years ago we watched all the seasons of Gilmore Girls on Netflix and I wrote a blog about it. Well we’re watching again, so I thought I would ressurect that oldie from the blog-vault at mysteinbach.ca. Enjoy! (My opinions haven’t changed… in case you’re wondering!) Everything I learned from Lorelai Gilmore is wrong! Let me tell you what …
What is Self-Regulation? (And Why Can’t My Kids Do it?)
Teachers and therapists talk a lot about what they call self-regulation. And foster parents, in particular, hear about it a lot, too. But understanding self-regulation is critical for all parents, teachers, kid’s leaders, and, well, people. Here’s why. Understanding self-regulation will help you understand your kids and how to meet their needs, and even help understand yourself and why you …
Ideas for a Home-Bound Halloween
Halloween is mere days away and you are starting to feel nervous about the rise of COVID cases. Our family will likely do a home-bound Halloween this year because we have some immune-compromised kids and for us, it’s just not worth the risk. You can imagine how popular this is going to be with our kids. Good thing 1) it’s …
Getting Ready for Halloween Sensory Overload
Here we go; t-minus 12 days to Halloween. Any of these situations feel familiar? Your kid has trouble regulating the best day and she is already planning her costume for Halloween. It has flashing lights, doesn’t fit right, has uncomfortable fabric, and stinks like a second-hand store. Perfect for a kid with a sensory processing disorder, but she wore it …
Three Reasons Every Parent (and teacher) Needs A Behaviour Diary
The kid is at it again. For no apparent reason he has thrown his lunch across the room. Or she has screamed uncontrollably at 3:15 PM. Or you feel sluggish and have low capacity by noon. There might not be an “apparent” reason, but I promise you, there is always a reason for behaviour. So what can you do about …
10 Awesome Gift Ideas for the Best Teachers this Christmas
Have you ever found yourself struggling to find the perfect gift for that amazing teacher in your kid’s life just days before the Christmas holidays? Remembrance Day is done and in my home, that means it’s time to prepare for Christmas! It might seem a bit early to start thinking about what your kid will buy their teacher for Christmas, …
Four Strategies to Conquer After-School Out-Bursts
School is hard on kids. It always has been, and it certainly is now. All the social interaction. The stress of not understanding and feeling dumb. Or maybe even just the exhaustion that comes with physical and mental exertion. Kids come home feeling pretty worn out. And why wouldn’t they be? I feel the same way after work. But kids …
Getting Your [Foster] Kids COVID-Ready for School
I just wrote a blog for www.mysteinbach.ca about getting your kids COVID ready for school. You can read here. In addition to those suggestions, our foster kids need a bit of extra help. Here are three more suggestions to keep in mind when you are getting a child from a hard place ready for school this year. They Need Additional …
3 Ways that Trauma is a thief (and what you can do about it)
I always like a good heist movie. Where there is an underdog who’s a thief and goes all “Robinhood” on the rich casino owner. I mean if the likable bad guy steals from the unlikable bad guy, (who happens to be astronomically wealthier and more evil comparatively,) then surely crime is ok! Until it’s real life and you’re the victim. …
Four Simple Tools That Changed Our Lives As Foster Parents
I’m a bit embarrassed to admit it, but at one point we were giving 20 minute time-outs to a three-year-old… in a room by himself. (It was a playroom with a window in the door so he wan’t unsupervised!) This was before we learned about Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and how simple practices would greatly reduce our frustration as parents. …
