Author: stephenreinstein

Many of us started out 2022 with rockin’ resolutions! Whether your goals for the New Year are physical, intellectual, emotional and/or social, there is truly something special and exciting about the blank canvas of the next 365 days before us, all about to be filled in with the colorful, precious moments of living and loving […]

  Kids love ninja classes at a SKILLZ child development center. The mix of age-specific martial arts themes and powerful child development lessons makes for a fun yet educational experience.   Parents love ninja classes because of the results they see in their children’s physical, intellectual, emotional, and social growth while on the mat. But […]

Have you ever heard of “The Invisible String?” Beautifully written by Patrice Karst and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, “The Invisible String” is a phenomenal children’s book! Interwoven from page to page is the theme of the strong, unbreakable bonds we share with our children, whether near or far away. While Patrice and Joanne crafted a […]

“Dear Proud Ninja Parent, On my hard days, remember I am small. When tears run down my cheeks and I don’t even know why, remember I need you to grab a tissue and dry my teary eyes. When something happens that I didn’t expect and I yell, scream and fuss, remember even in my anger, […]

  Take five for just a moment and pause for reflection. Let your mind float back to the carefree days of your youth. Let the rustling of autumn leaves crunch beneath your feet as you smell the crisp, cool air. Let the glow of candles from Jack—O-Lanterns on doorsteps dance in your mind as you […]

  Have you ever taken a moment to truly admire the art and incredible beauty of watching a child at play? Their fully engaged spirit, drive, imagination and passion are all completely vested in the mission of the moment. Whether tinkering with their next greatest creations or saving the day as their favorite superhero, children […]

Is Your Child Ready for School? The past year and a half of school have been such a tumultuous ride. From school closures to virtual classes to partial reopening, it seems as if our children have experienced every out-of-the-norm scenario we could come up with. And although the goal was to keep them safe, children’s […]

  Movement Reducing the Effects of Sitting There’s no denying that advancements in technology have made our lives easier. We can work from home, shop online, and watch newly released movies, among many other things, all without leaving the couch. And while this saves us travel time and hassle, it can lead to unexpected health […]

Parenting the Shy Child In a world that highly values the traits of extroverted individuals, shy children are often assumed to have something wrong that needs to be fixed. However, shyness is simply a personality trait that is part of their temperament. Children are born with unique personalities, although the environment can play a significant […]

  Regaining Health – Role Modeling Healthy Habits   The “Quarantine 15” has been yet another horrible reality of the pandemic. Not only were we separated, friend loved ones and friends, but unstructured days, decreased motivation, and increased boredom led to unhealthy habits for families. The result, for many, has been weight gain and reduced […]

  Say Yes to Childhood Parenting can be tricky. We want our children to be resilient, empathetic, and able to self-regulate. However, with the busyness of life, the experiences that build these characteristics fall by the wayside, and “no” becomes an automatic response. Children are continually being told what to do and what not to […]

  Strength-Based Thinking Reframing Children’s Challenging Behaviors   Children’s challenging behaviors have long been the focus of adults’ pessimistic viewpoint of characteristics that don’t fit the mold of societal expectations. This rigid “deficit thinking” causes parents to complain about their child’s qualities and make them try to “fix” what is wrong or make excuses as […]

Sensory Processing How Does Your Child Respond? As we navigate the world, we all use our senses to receive input from our surroundings, let our brains process, and then tell us how to react. Generally, we respond with minimal disruption to our routine. However, processing sensory stimuli can be a challenge for some people, either […]

How Motor Skills Affect Learning Most are aware of the benefits of physical activity for people of all ages… a stronger cardiovascular system, improved muscle tone, weight management, motor coordination, etc. Additionally, there are brain-boosting benefits that help children with brain function and learning, leading to better school performance. Unfortunately, however, many adults aren’t knowledgeable […]

The Secret to Developing Well-Rounded Athletes Over the last year, sports programs have had shortened seasons, if any at all. Because of that, training time for athletes of all ages has dropped significantly. Now, with sports returning to a more normal duration, young athletes are working hard to regain lost skills and recondition their bodies. […]

Celebrating Each Child’s Uniqueness Parents everywhere want their children to achieve success. This is usually defined by fulfilling societal norms, whether in terms of grades, athletic abilities, or something else. And the push to accomplish these things first is putting pressure on children and parents as well. Comparisons are fueling the expectation for children to […]

Rebuilding Social Skills During the Summer   There’s no doubt that children’s social skills have become rusty over the past year and not progressed as they should have. With more limited interactions than usual, children have experienced adverse effects on their social development. And while many children have had the opportunity to engage in some […]

Rebuilding Emotional Skills During the Summer Over the past year, children have faced many disturbances in their daily lives and interactions. These things have contributed to a lot of emotional imbalance and brought on or exacerbated feelings of sadness, fear, and anxiety. Since children are still developing abilities to regulate their strong and ever-changing emotions, […]

Rebuilding Intellectual Skills During the Summer   Summer break is typically viewed as a time for relaxation, fun, and no schedules. However, considering the dramatic change in our lives over the past year and seeing communities begin opening back up in a full capacity now, this summer would be the perfect time to get children […]

  Rebuilding Physical Skills During the Summer   For the past year, children have mostly been stuck inside, in front of a computer for school, and on a device during free time. And as much as parents have tried to keep their children active, it’s been a struggle with the limitations of many activities. But […]

  Single-Focused Tasks The Key to More Productive Learning   Productivity is one of the most highly regarded traits in the work world today. And to be productive, multitasking is the go-to method. The ability to switch between multiple tasks rapidly is seen as a special skill, but it stifles productivity and increases the likelihood […]

  Boost Attention Span by Making Learning Fun Again   Attention span has long been a topic regarding the relationship between children and learning. As the years have passed, technology has been at the forefront of our everyday lives. This has caused the concern for inattentiveness to become even more of an issue. Children are […]

  Brain Training for ADHD Although Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is such a prevalent diagnosis, there are still many misconceptions surrounding it. People often assume that ADHD results from poor parenting, laziness, or some learning disorder. And with these assumptions come a wide range of approaches to “fix” the problem. However, with the lack of […]

    How Can I Help? Shifting from Judgmental to Curious   In the words of Whitney Houston, “I believe that children are our future…show them all the beauty they possess inside.” All too often, the magnificence of individuality is overshadowed by a need to meet the status quo. When a child exhibits behavior that […]

  Childhood Fears Developmental Expectations     Children of all ages have fears, from babies to teens. And whether these fears are from real or imaginary places, they are nonetheless scary. Since our brains are wired to protect us, fears are a normal part of a child’s development. Children will eventually outgrow fears but being […]

  Quiet Parenting Stopping the Cycle of Yelling   Parenting can be one of the most rewarding responsibilities we ever take on. With that, however, comes the ups and downs of getting children to comply with what we say while being pulled in a thousand different directions. It’s no wonder why parents often resort to […]

  Playful Connection Filling Your Child’s Emotional Cup   Over the years, healthy connection levels between parents and children have decreased, leading to more challenging behaviors from children. Today’s modern lifestyle has interfered with the opportunity for the parent-child bond to grow. This vital aspect of a child’s life is essential for their emotional cup […]

Consistency     Your child needs to know that no matter what happens, you are always going to be a consistent parent.  Maintaining consistency means that you are going to be patient, connected, adaptable, and edutaining with your child all the time so your child knows what to expect from you and you know what […]

The Power of Predictability   As hectic as life is most days, parents are often more concerned with getting everything done instead of strategically planning out their day so that it is predictable for their children. Knowing what activities to expect each day and knowing how parents will respond at the moment is critical in […]

Adaptability Adaptability is about how you respond to your child, especially when things do not go as planned.  Your child will have a variety of great days, bad days, and everything in between. Here are a few ways you can apply adaptability to your parenting and keep your child motivated: Intrinsic Motivation: Choices What do […]

  Nurturing   Being a nurturing parent means adjusting your child’s behaviors, not trying to change them. In other words, change the behavior, not the child.   Let them Know that Mistakes are Okay   I get excited when my son makes a mistake because it gives me the opportunity to teach him, which is […]

Teens Need Structure Too Most often, when we think of implementing structure into our children’s lives, it is because we have a newborn that needs a feeding schedule, a toddler that needs a nap schedule, or a child that needs an activity schedule. When children become teens, they are often left to implement their schedules. […]

Edutainment Be the parent your child needs you to be. They need you to be in their world. That means interacting and playing with them on their level to prompt them through the tasks and chores they don’t want to do.  Here are some tips and examples on using effectively using edutainment with your child. […]

  Should I Worry? Tuning into Teens’ Emotional Shifts As we approach the one-year mark of an ever-strong pandemic that has rocked our world, we are searching for ways to keep ourselves mentally and emotionally in check. For teens, this has been an even more difficult feat. Adolescence is already fraught with stress and moodiness […]

Prompting How can you set your child up for daily success?  One of the most effective ways to do this is to focus on prompting instead of punishment.  Here’s what you need about prompting your child toward good behavior and decisions: Friendly Competition One of the ways to prompt your child toward good behavior is […]

Is Your Child Real World Ready? In recent years, parenting has undergone a shift and has become hyper-focused on the child. And while care, attention, and love are necessary for forming healthy attachments and helping children reach developmental milestones, an over-protective or coddling type approach can also hinder them. Rest assured, this parenting tactic comes […]

  Patience Take a few extra seconds when responding to poor behavior.  This demonstrates compassion, empathy, and self-control on your part.  Sometimes all you need to do is think about responding in the most patient manner to help re-direct your child.  A few seconds can make a big difference. Ask, Listen, Explain Patience helps you […]

Rapid Resets Quick Ways to Calm an Emotional Flood     As we know, children can lose control of their emotions for various reasons, and the behaviors we witness are generally unplanned. And since anxiety can look like defiance, adults often respond in counterproductive ways. When children are stressed, the amygdala, in the downstairs brain, […]

Attunement   Do you ever feel like you can read your child’s mind?  You know what they are going to do or say next because they have had the same reaction before?  This is attunement.  Improving your attunement skills will allow you to create a more patient and understanding relationship with your child. Modify Your […]

Connection     One of the most important things that you can do as a parent is establish a connection with your child.  In fact, children need connection more than anything else. Here are a few ways that you can begin to build a great connection with your child: Daily Interactions: Make one-on-one connections with […]

Nature and Nurture Influencing Genes for Success     Is it nature, is it nurture? That is the question. This age-old debate, in the world of psychology, has been a source of controversy for decades. At some point, all parents have toyed with thoughts of which one has most influenced their child concerning personality traits, […]

  The Power of Yet Developing a Mindset for Success   Goal setting is a characteristic that significantly links an individual to their future success. Having the right mindset is crucial and encourages our behaviors as we encounter different challenges. Since our mindset incorporates our own beliefs about skills and abilities that we possess, we […]

Behavior Shaping Implementing Reinforcement Schedules       Getting children to behave how we want them to can be tricky. Even with the best intentions, parents often fall short regarding enforcing positive behaviors in their children while also extinguishing negative ones. Understanding reinforcement schedules and strategies for implementing them can be beneficial to parents and […]

Reinforcement vs. Punishment Understanding Behavior Modification     All parents want their children to exhibit positive behaviors that will help them transition smoothly through the different stages of their development. And while parents have the best intentions, they often don’t use the most effective discipline strategies to achieve that goal. And granted, parents do their […]

  Restoring the True Spirit of the Season     With the holiday season in full swing, families everywhere are struggling to make suitable plans for the pandemic. While our typical holidays are full of family gatherings, parties, and many other busy events this year, the pandemic has put a damper on our holiday traditions […]

Parenting Styles Implementing the Most Effective Methods     Becoming a parent is, for the most part, an exciting adventure to undertake. Along with this, however, comes an enormous amount of responsibility. And while most feel prepared, others may experience anxiety and uncertainty about how to begin this journey. But no matter what, parents ultimately […]

  Holiday Parenting Keeping the Joy Alive   The hustle and bustle of the holiday season, this year, maybe a little less intense but, no doubt, still exciting. While holiday parties may be missing from our typical December schedules, the pandemic can’t stop the spirit of the season! Decorating the house, wrapping gifts, and baking […]

  Attachment Awareness How Attachment Styles Affect Classroom Behavior   All children have their own unique way of interacting with the world around them. And while much of this is contributed by their temperaments, the degree of emotional nurturing plays a significant role. This essential piece is how attachment is formed. The emotional bond between […]

Igniting Your Teens’ Motivation Adolescence has always been a challenging time for parents and teens to get through. Typically, this is because adults feel teens are lazy and/or out of control. However, these behaviors are usually present because teens feel uninspired and lack the right motivation in their lives. And while the development of the […]

  The SKILLZ Zone The Sweet Spot for Learning   We’ve all set goals, to some degree, throughout our lives. Some were easily achieved while others we just gave up on completing. This is because most plans are either set in the comfort zone or the danger zone. And while our initial motivation generally puts […]

    How Mirror Neurons Impact Learning   Learning is a big part of child development and how children learn things is dependent on a variety of factors. Much of the time, observational learning contributes to how children learn information and behaviors. This type of social learning can be greatly influential because of the role […]

    Whole-Brain Parenting Engaging the Brain for Optimal Development     On any given day, we may experience moments of high emotion in reaction to an event, or we find ourselves trying to control everyone and everything around us. Either way, our mental well-being is in danger, especially if we find ourselves stuck in […]

      How To Manage Your Child’s Temperament   Every child is born with their own unique way of interacting with the world. Some are flexible in the midst of change while others may experience stress when presented with new situations or a change in schedule. This is what is referred to as temperament. […]

  The Developing Mind Understanding Your Child’s Behavior   One of the biggest struggles in parenting is understanding why perfectly sweet and smart children can, in an instant, turn into the most difficult beings ever faced. It’s often as if a switch was flipped and chaos has ensued. This typically results in parents becoming frustrated […]

Empowering vs Enabling – The Fine Line of Parenting     We live in a competitive world and most parents would jump at the chance to give their child every advantage imaginable. The world can also be unkind and, as parents, we feel a need to protect our children from everything possible. And yes, parents […]

  The Mood Booster Increasing Endorphins to Improve Learning   Children today are presented with varying types of stressors in almost every aspect of their lives. The infamous “bar” has been set so high that in order to achieve it, children are asked to forgo “fun” and work towards superiority in everything they do. And […]

  Balance Feels Best – Helping Children Neutralize Technology Overload   As digital learning has become a widely preferred alternative for school, children everywhere are now “required” to be on devices in the wake of the pandemic. This is quite a change from the screen time limits that parents have attempted to enforce for years. […]

    The Second Brain Boosting Serotonin to Enhance Learning     We have all experienced, from time to time, that uneasy feeling you get when something doesn’t seem right. Often, we can’t put our finger on it, but we know that we feel bothered. For children, that uneasy feeling may show up as grumpiness […]

  Helping Children Feel Secure in an Uncertain World   The news can be full of scary stories and information, especially for children. Our current situation has brought about even more concern for everyone in the world. If adults are feeling panicked, imagine how children must be feeling. And no matter the age, children can […]

Social Glue Utilizing Oxytocin to Strengthen Connection Oxytocin is best known as the “love chemical” and is released when we feel love. And while it is generally associated with the parent-child bond and more in-depth relationships, it is also significant in overall human connections. With all the stress and pressures of the world today, many […]

Leading by Example The Power of Self-Care in Parenting   Parents have always served as the first, and typically, the most important role model for their children, even though family members, teachers, and coaches have a significant impact on a child’s development as well. However, in the wake of the pandemic, these people have had […]

The Motivator Molecule Boosting Dopamine in Constructive Ways     Nowadays it seems that children are only interested in their video games, smart phones, and social media platforms. Parents are frustrated with their children’s lack of motivation for and attention to other activities that they are at a loss as to what to do. Therefore, […]

Pandemic Parenting Understanding Your Child’s Regressive Behaviors Raising a child can be one of the most rewarding jobs around. And while it’s exciting to watch children grow and develop into caring humans, parenting definitely brings about it’s fair share of challenges. Fast forward to 2020 and we are now faced with parenting during a pandemic […]

Child Development Centers Give Your Child an Edge Programs for children are all around us. From day care centers to recreational sports and everything in between, options for parents to choose from are abounding. And although parents want what is best for their children, they often aren’t aware of the notable distinctions between the programs […]

As people grow older, they begin to find ways to be more productive and make use of their time. For senior citizens, in particular, they find that there is even more time they need to utilize and want to do so effectively. Many will go out and find other jobs while others will pursue hobbies […]

Every year, the American Heart Association celebrates Heart Month to raise awareness about heart disease and heart health. What you may not know is that martial arts are great for the heart. In fact, the cardiac benefits of martial arts give a whole new meaning to the idea of cardiovascular fitness. With that in mind, […]

Grade school can be quite the experience for any child. It is a place where a child not only learns academically but one where a child must learn to socialize and function in the world. Unfortunately, there are a lot of negative experiences that a child may have when going through school. Whatever those experiences […]

Certification Matters Three Tips to Choosing a Martial Arts School Choosing a martial arts school has always been a guessing game for most parents. Unless they have prior experience, to them, any style is coined “karate” so deciding on the best place is purely a guess. Parents generally look for a school that teaches punching […]

Supporting Children’s Emotional Needs During the Pandemic Part 2 We are all human and our responses to our current situation vary. Some have hunkered down and sorted through their new reality in a way that has motivated them to complete tasks and put new goals in place. Others have become increasingly overwhelmed and feel like […]