Priceless Parenting Blog

Are your kids being targeted for sextortion?

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 18:17:00 +0000

Scammers are targeting kids for sextortion. They convince kids that nude pictures of them will be distributed to family, friends, classmates and others unless money is paid.

In this video, hear from the parents of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay who died from suicide after experiencing sextortion. Read about the steps you can take to prevent this type of tragedy.

The Power of "Yet"

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 18:10:00 +0000

The word 'yet' can be incredibly powerful. If your child says, "I can't do this," add the word 'yet' to the end of the sentence. It transforms a statement of defeat into one of growth.

For other ideas about promoting positive thinking, check out the article "Fostering School Success By Encouraging a Growth Mindset".

Fostering Growth using the Mentoring Parenting Style

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Fri, 24 May 2024 17:10:00 +0000

What is your normal parenting style? Do you give your kids orders? Do you do a lot of things for them that they are capable of doing themselves? Do you often give in to avoid fighting?

Your parenting approach plays a significant role in your children's development. Read "Fostering Growth using the Mentoring Parenting Style" to learn more.

Sugared Cereal Is Not Healthy For Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 18:26:00 +0000

Did you know that sugared cereals have more sugar per serving than frosted cakes or donuts? Yikes!

Dr. Michael Greger's article, "Are Fortified Children’s Breakfast Cereals Just Candy" states

"Children who consume pre-sweetened breakfast cereals may derive more than 20 percent of their daily calories from added sugar. Breakfast cereals rank as the third-largest food source of added sugars in the diets of kids and adolescents, listed between candy and ice cream. On a per-serving basis, a cereal like Frosted Flakes has more added sugar than a frosted chocolate cake, a brownie, or a frosted donut."

Sugar consumption is linked to physical and mental health issues in kids. Choosing a less sugary way to start the day is a step in the right direction!

Warnings About the Troubled Teen Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 18:28:00 +0000

Is your teen presenting extremely challenging behavior? If you feel overwhelmed and unsure of how to help your teen, getting professional help is wise.

You love your children and want the best for them. Taking parenting classes can certainly prepare you for handling typical teen challenges. However, sometimes parents and caregivers turn to residential treatment programs designed for troubled teens. This is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States with very little regulation. The lack of regulation has led to serious abuse and even death of teens.

Unsilenced.org is exposing some of the serious problems within the troubled teen industry. Watch this video for a brief overview of the issues.

Protecting Kids From Social Media Harms

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Wed, 31 May 2023 20:37:00 +0000

Social media can be a great way for kids to connect with friends, but it can also be a source of stress and anxiety. As parents there's some important information you need to know about social media and the mental health of your kids.

In May 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General released a report on Social Media and Youth Mental Health that identified several problems with how kids are using social media. The report stated that excessive use of social media can lead to depression, anxiety, and even suicide among teens and young adults.

Watch this video to understand some of the risks identified in the report plus learn tips on how to keep your kids safer online.

Create the Perfect Summer Plans for Your Family! 🗺️🚀🌟

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Thu, 18 May 2023 17:13:00 +0000

What will your kids be doing during summer break? Plan now for fun and engaging activities that will create lasting memories for your family. Figure out how to use this unstructured time for growth rather than trouble!

Find Out More: Turning Summer Boredom into Opportunities to Grow (pricelessparenting.com)

Monitoring Moods Before And After Digital Activities

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 17:47:00 +0000

Do your kids enjoy spending time on digital activities like playing video games, watching videos or scrolling through Instagram? What do you notice about your kids' feelings and behavior after they've played a video game or been online?

Are they in a better mood or a worse mood? Do they feel more tired or more energized? Do they have difficulty focusing on other things, or do they seem to be able to concentrate better?

Do they get angry or frustrated at little things that would normally not bother them? When the digital activity is leading to a decrease in their well-being, it's time to make a change.

If you want help learning to set healthy limits for your kids, take a Priceless Parenting class. You’ll learn how to help your kids develop a healthy relationship with technology, and you’ll also get support from other parents who are trying to do the same thing.

Leaders Are Contributing to Kids' Gun Deaths

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 20:14:00 +0000

Giving young children access to guns is child abuse. And when that child or someone else dies as a result of that access, it’s murder.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem proudly proclaimed at last Friday's National Rifle Association convention that her almost 2-year-old granddaughter already owns firearms. Noem stated “Now Addie, who you know—soon will need them, I wanna reassure you, she already has a shotgun and she already has a rifle and she’s got a little pony named Sparkles too. So the girl is set up.” Noem's right ... Addie is set up to be killed or kill someone.

The only thing more outrageous than the fact that this happened is how often it does—and how little we do about it. In fact, the gun industry is marketing more guns specifically to children. CNN reports "Guns are the leading cause of death for US children and teens, since surpassing car accidents in 2020."

As parents and guardians, we are responsible for the safety of our children. We can help prevent these accidental deaths by making sure our kids don't have access to guns—and that includes taking steps like keeping them locked away from curious hands.

How can you help kids who are hurting?

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 22:32:00 +0000

When kids are hurting it's important to listen to them and validate their feelings. How have you helped your children feel heard and supported during difficult times? Check out the article "Helping Kids Who Are Hurting" for more ideas.

Moral Values Around Gun Violence

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 03:32:00 +0000

We all learn more from observing people's behavior than listening to their words. Words are easy. Behavior reveals the truth.

On March 27th, 2023 a 28-year-old used a semi-automatic rifle to kill three 9-year-olds and three adults at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. After the tragedy, children and parents went to the State Capital in Nashville to demand outlawing semi-automatic rifles. They were protesting for their right to life.

Tragically Republican-led Tennessee belittled the kids for their protests. Tennessee Republican state William Lamberth spoke to student protestors and said "So you're not going to like my answer. I'm going to say that straight up; it's not about this one gun. If there is a firearm out there that you're comfortable being shot with please show me which one it is."

Really?!?! Lamberth believes it is appropriate to ask kids what type of gun they want to be killed with? What does his behavior tell you about his values?

Three democratic Tennessee representatives joined thousands of children, teachers, and parents protesting against gun violence outside the Capitol. For their efforts, the Republican-led Tennessee House expelled two black representatives who marched in solidarity, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. Somehow Tennessee representative Gloria Johnson, a white woman, escaped being expelled. What does their behavior tell you about their values? Racism ... you betcha!
Your moral values underlie your words and behavior. These real-life stories are a wonderful way to discuss your values with your kids. What moral values are you passing on to your children?

Stressed Kids? Finding Real Relief

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 20:03:00 +0000

What behavior lets you know your kids are under stress? Tantrums? Frustrated outbursts? Angry yelling? Running to their room and slamming the door? When kids are under stress, they often choose activities that add to their stress instead of reduce it. You can help them learn healthy ways to handle stress. By tuning into their feelings, they can make wiser choices about what to do to relieve their stress.

Kids Help Scientists In the Great Bird Count

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 18:08:00 +0000

Do your kids love nature and want to protect it? They can help by counting birds this weekend! There's a free app that can help you identify the birds you are seeing or hearing. Entering the birds you see helps build a world-wide database.

Problems From Letting Your Child Use Your Phone

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 19:01:00 +0000

Have you ever let your child use your phone to play a game or watch a video? Listen to this dad's story about what happened when he let his 6-year-old use his phone to play a game.

Letting your kids use your phone may seem like a fine idea right up until you realize how much trouble is easily available. Kids are curious and likely to launch apps other than the one they were originally using. From spending your money to watching porn, kids can get in a lot of trouble using your phone.

Have your kids gotten into trouble using your phone? What happened? How did you respond? Feel free to share your story in the comments below.

Encouraging Words for Parents

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 19:52:00 +0000

You work hard as a parent to do the best for your kids. For the most part, it is a thankless job. Watch this video for some encouraging words. What affirmations would you add?

Balancing Giving Your Kids Too Much or Too Little

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 19:14:00 +0000

Is there such thing as too much of a good thing? Yes!

How do you know when your kids have crossed the line into the "too much" territory? Their behavior will be your best clue:

Watching shows that are too scary lead to trouble falling asleep.
Eating too much junk food leads to stomach aches and weight gain.
Having too much screen time leads to crankiness.
Owning too much stuff leads to difficulty keeping their room clean.
Participating in too many planned activities leads to feelings of overwhelm.

You teach your kids by example. You also teach them by setting limits. If you try to make your kids happy all the time, you risk not setting healthy limits.

What is one area you feel your child is in the "too much" territory? How will you set a limit?

Social Media's Link To Rising Despair In Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 20:43:00 +0000

Social media plays a role in the rising rates of mental health issues in children. How big a role it plays is up for debate. January 6, 2023, the Seattle Public Schools filed a lawsuit against Meta, Facebook, Instagram, Siculus, Snap, TikTok, ByteDance, Alphabet, Google, XXVI Holdings, and YouTube.

The lawsuit alleges how these companies have built their businesses by exploiting children's vulnerabilities. It states "Defendants have successfully exploited the vulnerable brains of youth, hooking tens of millions of students across the country into positive feedback loops of excessive use and abuse of Defendants’ social media platforms. Worse, the content Defendants curate and direct to youth is too often harmful and exploitive (e.g., promoting a “corpse bride” diet, eating 300 calories a day, or encouraging self-harm)."

Regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit, this information is helpful in appreciating the impact social media may be having on your children. What limits are you setting on your kids use of social media? You play a major role in teaching your kids to keep themselves mentally healthy.

Preventing Kids From Using Gun Violence

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 04:38:00 +0000

You dream of your children growing up and making a positive impact on the world. The last thing you want is for your child to be responsible for killing innocent people. However, kids accidentally or intentionally shooting themselves or someone else is an everyday occurrence in the United States.

Reducing these tragedies requires commitment from everyone. Politicians need to pass common sense gun laws. Parents need to lock up their guns so that their kids cannot access them. Kids need to learn that violence is unacceptable.

Children should be safe in all public situations. It's beyond time for sensible gun laws including banning assault rifles. This is a societal problem that you cannot solve alone. However, you can influence your own children to not turn to violence as a way of dealing with their wounded feelings.

(finish reading the article on PricelessParenting.com)

Turning Summer Boredom into Opportunities to Grow

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 16:40:00 +0000

Summer is a time for kids to enjoy being kids, but it can also be a stressful time for parents. You love your children and want them to have fun. You also want them to use their time in a healthy way.

How will your children be spending their time this summer? Summer vacation with time off from school provides many opportunities for growth, fun and also trouble. It's the trouble that you want to avoid!

Concerns About Kids' Free Time

Some parents look forward to the unstructured time their children can enjoy during the summer while others worry about how their children will fill those extra hours. What are your greatest concerns about the free time your kids have during the summer?

(finish reading at PricelessParenting.com)

Being an Admired Leader Instead of a Pushy Boss for Your Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Fri, 27 May 2022 16:22:00 +0000

Do you liked to be bossed around? Probably not! How does the thought of being given orders make you feel? Irritated? Angry? Rebellious? If you’re like most, you react negatively to someone trying to boss or control you.

Your children are no different. They also do not like when you try to control their behavior. You can test this out by watching their reaction to your commands. What happens when you tell them to hurry up? Does this cause them to go faster? How about when you tell your kids to stop fighting or quit whining?

Sometimes your kids may follow your commands. Other times they may ignore them or verbally agree but not follow through. Giving commands sets up power struggles with your kids. You can replace commands with more effective approaches like telling them what you are going to do or asking curiosity questions.

Considering the Characteristics of Your Favorite Boss

Your role as a parent is like being a boss or leader for your family. If you shy away from this role and try instead to be your children’s friend, that leaves your family without the strong leadership it really needs. When the kids are primarily in control, families are dysfunctional.

(finish reading on PricelessParenting.com)

Shunning Classmates Who Behave Poorly Versus Setting Boundaries

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 19:46:00 +0000

There are kids in every class who struggle more than their peers to behave appropriately. In preschool these are the kids that turn to biting, pushing and hitting to communicate. By the time they are in grade school, their inappropriate behavior often leaves them isolated by their classmates.

There are many reasons kids may lag in developing interpersonal skills. It may be due to growing up in a traumatic environment, having sensory integration issues, being anxious or some other factors.

(finish reading the article on PricelessParenting.com)

Teaching Kids To Keep Themselves Mentally Healthy

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 17:09:00 +0000

You are likely doing an excellent job teaching your kids to keep themselves physically healthy. You’ve taught them to wash their hands before eating, to brush their teeth and to take a bath or shower. Maintaining a healthy body takes daily effort.

Maintaining a healthy mind also takes daily effort. How are you teaching your kids to keep themselves mentally healthy?

(finish reading this article on PricelessParenting.com)

Finding Solutions Versus Issuing Consequences

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 17:06:00 +0000

When your kids misbehave, how do you usually feel? Most parents report feeling angry, frustrated or embarrassed. When you're feeling like that it's easy to think of consequences that will make your children pay for their poor behavior. They won't dare do that again!

When you use punishment in response to your children's misbehavior, they usually learn to avoid getting caught in the future. However, they aren't necessarily learning how to develop self-discipline and make better choices. By focusing on solutions instead of punishment, you increase the chances that it doesn't happen again - even if you're not around.

(finish reading this article on PricelessParenting.com)

Building Confidence and Finding Joy Through Creativity

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 17:05:00 +0000

What creative activities do your kids enjoy? When they are not on their digital devices or watching TV, what do they like to do?

Are they the artistic type who likes to draw, paint or make sculptures? Do they enjoy making up new dance moves? Do they like playing an instrument or recording their own music? Are they drawn to acting out make believe stories or creating plays with other kids? Do they love being outside designing obstacle courses or challenging jumps for their skateboards or bikes? Do they like baking or cooking?

Part of growing up is figuring out what you like to do and what you’re good at. When your kids find a passion and devote time to it, they build their confidence with their accomplishments. Trying out various creative activities will help them discover their gifts and talents.

(finish reading this article on PricelessParenting.com)

Teaching Children To Express Gratitude

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Slattengren) — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 00:24:00 +0000

How are you teaching your kids to show gratitude? Training your children to say "please" and "thank you" is essential. This basic social skill is critical in showing respect for others.

It takes plenty of prompting and reminders when your kids are young. It is worth the effort. Developing the skill of showing appreciation will benefit your kids. Expressing gratitude is crucial in maintaining relationships.

Showing a Lack of Appreciation

It can be challenging for kids to consider other people’s feelings. Part of showing genuine appreciation involves being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. When children have not fully developed this skill, it can cause problems.

(finish reading on Priceless Parenting.com)