Family

Social skills and manners for children

Teaching manners and social skills to children (c) Judy Helm Wright aka Auntie Artichoke Are you embarrassed when your teenager shovels his food, or your toddler eats with her fingers? What part do manners play in the social skills necessary to be a confident adult? Manners have a purpose People who behave in a polite […]

What is the school’s role in Cyber-bullying?

Cyber bullying: What is the school’s role in this? Students who are afraid and nervous about being bullied can not concentrate on learning. If technology is a boon, it can be a curse as well. School districts globally are beginning to understand there consequences for allowing bullying in any form to go during school or […]

Encourage Positive Friendships-Have a “Go-To-House”

Make Your Home the “Go-To House” Encourage Positive Friendships © Judy Helm Wright aka Auntie Artichoke—https://judyhwright.com As parents and caregivers (lots of Aunties and Uncles out there) we want to encourage positive friendships with the children we love. We also like an orderly house and a minimum of noise and confusion in our house. Sometimes […]

Positive Friendships & Self-Esteem

Positive Friendships & Self-Esteem © Judy Helm Wright https://judyhwright.com Parents, teachers, caregivers, coaches and other caring adults are concerned with how to teach values and self-esteem to the children in their lives. They wonder how to foster positive friendships and discourage those that have a negative influence. From the moment of birth, our children are […]

Teach Acceptance-Build Confidence

Teach Acceptance-Build Confidence ©JudyHWright https://judyhwright.com We all have weaknesses that are hard to accept. Parents, teachers and caring adults see areas that need improvement in children and want to help them build confidence.  The trick is to build confidence and acceptance without criticism and breaking the spirit. As I have mentioned in previous articles and […]

Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem = Success in Life

Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem = Success in Life © Judy Helm Wright https://judyhwright.com Success in life, friendship, business, family dynamics and spiritual growth has self-confidence and self-esteem at the foundation.  People who have a confidence in their personal worth seem to be magnets for success and happiness everywhere they go. As parents and caring adults you […]

3 Self-Esteem and Confidence Messages

3 Self-Esteem and Confidence Messages © Judy Helm Wright https://judyhwright.com Self-esteem and confidence is the most important contribution that a parent or loving adult can make to the life of a child.  The messages received in childhood can build or destroy the self-esteem of a child and they carry over into all interactions as an […]

Raise a Confident Kid to be Competent and Capable

Raise a Confident Kid ©Judy Helm Wright https://judyhwright.com When children have a good relationship with significant adults in their formative years, it will impact and enhance their entire life.  When caring adults strive to make kids feel understood, valued and wanted they become confident and self-assured. As confident kids feel supported and loved, they do […]

How to Build Self-Confidence In Kids

How to Build Self-Confidence In Kids © Judy Helm Wright http://www.AskAuntieArtichoke.com I am entered in a  Ultimate Blog challenge and so rather than work on two (or ten) important projects, I decided it  would be fun to repurpose an eBook I am writing for Kindle and Amazon. It is titled 77Ways to Build Self-Confident  Kids […]

Why Children Lie and Blame Others

Why Children Lie and Blame Others © Judy Helm Wright https://judyhwright.com Helping children develop morality, responsibility and that inner compass of integrity is our goal.  While lying is a normal aspect of growing up, it should not be ignored or tolerated with indifference. Study the pattern of your child’s lying.  Be pretty sure you understand […]

Raising a Resilient, Responsible Bounce-Back Kid

RAISING A RESILIENT BOUNCE BACK KID © Judy H. Wright, www.ArtichokePresss.com How does your child handle disappointment? What happens when they don’t win the game, election or friend? Do they want to quit the team when they are not chosen for play? Do they assume responsibility for their choices and decisions? Can they bounce-back when […]

Montana is a Resilient, Optimistic, Bounce-Back State

Montana is a Resilient, Bounce-Back State © Judy Helm Wright  http://www.ArtichokePress.com If you picture Montana as a picturesque outdoor sports haven, you would be partially right.  The mountains in the “Big Sky Country” are certainly worth visiting.  But, so is the attitude and optimism of the people of Montana. Resilience is the ability to keep […]

Words Describing “Happy” Feelings

Words Describing “Happy” Feelings © Judy Helm Wright https://judyhwright.com Just as there are varying degrees of upset feelings, there are just as many different words to describe happy emotions. When you use the right words, then people know and understand where you are coming from and how to connect with you on a deeper level. […]

Words Reflecting Upset Feelings

Words Reflecting “Upset” Feelings (c) Judy Helm Wright https://judyhwright.com We all need to understand that there are varying degrees of upset feelings that can be expressed in ways that make communication easier.  It is empowering to be able to name your feelings.  When you can accurately describe how you feel, then others can assist you in finding solutions. […]

Thoughts, Feelings, Beliefs, and Emotions

Only Beliefs Have Power Over You The difference between a thought and a belief is that you may have thousands of thoughts racing through your mind but none of them have any power except those that you deem to be true and accurate. Those thoughts and belief systems that you hold to be true with […]

The Importance of the Family Day Out

The Importance of the Family Day Out   If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that family life can be very stressful. From the school run to finding activities over summer holidays, family life can be non-stop. And that’s exactly why it’s so important to find ways to wind down, de-stress, and […]

Help Kids be Problem Solvers

If you want your kids to be problem solvers, you have to let them solve their own problems, as much as possible.Empower them to find solutions.  Your job is to help them to help themselves. Focus Attention on the Learning Experience When parents and other caregivers focus only on the finished products, it does not […]

Stages and Seasons of a Balanced Life

Balancing Stages and Segments What is a balance, anyway? This is such an elusive concept, because it is different for each person. What is a well-balanced diet for one person is not necessarily what is right for everyone. What is a balanced life is different for a young mother than for a mid-life executive. There […]

Family of Friends Gather to Share

Family of Friends I have a group of women friends who join together at least every two weeks for a Sacred Journey. We study inspirational books and have lively discussions, but we also support one another in tragedy and triumph. This is a family of friends that I have selected.  My husband has a family of friends that goes […]

Soothing Techniques For Self-Care

As an empowerment coach and life educator, I teach families about the importance of self-soothing rituals and calming techniques for each member of the family. If you have been a parent, you will remember the methods you developed to sooth a fretful baby or toddler.  You knew what worked and what would just make the child […]

What Makes a Family?

To be a biological parent requires a single act of sex, or even a test tube or petri dish.  A joining of sperm and egg does not a family make.  How you were created is less important than how you were nurtured. Parents and mentors come in all sizes, ages, sexual orientation and skills.  Many children […]