Before I was a mother, I was a philosopher. As such, I can offer no cut-and-dried answers to every quandary. Rather than adhere to one philosophical worldview, I use a handful of ideas we can treat as a cornerstone of “commonsense morality.”

‘Gross negligence’: why a parent like James Crumbley can be found guilty for their child’s crimes.

For a while after my family returned from a year of travel around the world, it seemed we had ruined sightseeing for my children.

It’s important to have realistic expectations of others rather than just seeing the best in them, as many loving, empathic people tend to do. Idealizing someone or ignoring their limitations is a setup for disappointment.

As a parent of an estranged adult child attempting to repair the rupture and reconcile, what do you need to consider or do to make that happen? What needs to be in place for your reconciliation efforts to be successful?  

When couples differ, they don't listen, especially when they are experiencing emotions. And when they try to talk it out, they resort to the communication violations -- "you"s (telling the other person about them), over-generalizations, and emphasizing the negative.

After all those years looking after others, this old heart has finally learned to look after itself. Each act of kindness a stitch in this warm blanket that now covers me while I sleep.

There are many ways to have a family. All are valid, and each one represents a place on the beautiful spectrum of how families exist. Each one is worthy of writing down for the future to look back upon.

How having conversations with children builds their language — and strengthens family connections

Navigating life can be likened to moving through a complex maze of decisions and challenges that test our resilience and adaptability.

Each day we go out into the world and present who we are to others. But sometimes, unbeknownst to us, we present who we think we should be, or need to be. We may put on a false persona as a way to get the love and acknowledgment we deeply crave. 

There can be plenty of tension associated with Valentine's Day. One cold, dreary February 14th, I am at the grocery store at 5 p.m. In the parking lot I can see men getting out of their cars and scurrying into the store. Inside at the express lane checkout counter are five men standing in line, each holding a dozen roses...

In today's ever-changing online dating scene, crafting an engaging profile has become more than just showcasing good looks or clever quips.

When we descend from people who’ve done terrible things, or from people who themselves have been the recipient of some sort of trauma, this energy carries itself down through our physical DNA and the genetic memory of our energetic DNA, even if we’ve never met these ancestors in person. 

Thích Nh?t H?nh (Th?y) helped me to make a course correc­tion with his teachings about Sangha—a Sanskrit word that means group, congregation, or community. Th?y taught me that we’re all stronger when we join our energies and don’t have to carry things on our own.

Many parents worry about how much time their children spend watching screens. While some time on devices is fine for entertainment and education, we also know it is important children do things away from TVs and devices.

We often hesitate to spill the beans on the darker aspects of our lives, fearing judgment and scorn from others.

My child’s pain is always calling me into a new relationship with my highest intentions. The difficulties I encounter smooth the rough edges of my heart and mind, giving me more wisdom, balance, and capacity as long as I have the courage to be near the pain.

Over the years of working with men and their relationships, not to mention my own 59-year relationship with Joyce, I have seen some central issues emerge. , I have seen certain tendencies which apply to many men.

I had longed to be a mother and felt so fortunate that I was afforded the luxury of being home with her. So against all my feminist leanings, we settled into very traditional family roles, with me spending a lot more time with Sammi than he did.

Ah, the holiday season is when our hearts brim with anticipation, and our spirits soar with expectations.

When we fall into a hole of our own making, it is probably a situation we’ve experienced before. There may be different actors and a different setting, but the essence of the problem is the same.

Whether you’re aware of it or not, you're communicating powerful messages all day without uttering a single word...