Where Do You Need Help? Understand your strengths and weaknesses. Maybe you are good at discipline and lax at family meals. Maybe your children have limited television but play hours of video games. It’s hard to be consistent in all areas every single day. Instead of getting frustrated or giving up, begin and end each day with a commitment to be a better parent. Routines take time to develop, and kids will push envelope to see what your boundaries are. If you try to establish routines, but you can’t make them stick, you can get help by joining a parenting support group. Churches, YMCA’s and neighborhoods are great resources. It helps to understand other mothers struggle with same issues. Single parenting isn’t so different, but responsibility is more intense.

The time and effort you put in today will be best investment you can make as a single parent. The children may need more of your time today, but they will need significantly less as they grow older. Soon house will be quiet and they will be gone. The carpet will stay vacuumed and no crumbs will be in living room. You will long for days house was filled with noise and laughter.

Think consciously about being a good role model. The benefits will last your children’s lifetime.

Dr. Debbie

50 Great Tips, Tricks, & Techniques to Connect With Your Teen

Debra Hapenny Ciavola, Ph.D.

Marriage & Family Therapist

www.greatparentingtips.com

DrDebbie@greatparentingtips.com

972-304-5409

5. Do usual only very different, i.e., make a pumpkin chiffon pie. At serving time, crumble candy canes and sprinkle on top.

6. Add a layer of marzipan or almond paste to pie. Roll it out into a circle, place it on top of bottom crust, then add filling. Good with mince meat, apple, pumpkin, etc.

7. For Beef Wellington, encase it in pie dough, then cut out shapes and apply them on top.

8. Make an apple pie or something compatible with cheese and then cut out stars from cheese and apply on top. Sprinkle a few cinnamon drops around.

9. Make a meringue topping (would work for most pies) and then when it’s baked and cooled, sprinkle top with large white fluffy sugar flakes, like snow. Or colored sprinkles.

10. Sprinkle crushed candy cane chips on top of pie after it’s baked.

11. After it’s baked and cooled, stick miniature candy canes around rim. 12. Most fruit pies are compatible with cranberries. Dip cranberries in egg white and then coat with sugar and place on top; they look frosted. You can also use candied fruit – put green citron around red candied cherries like holly berries.

13. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar, like snow.

There are lots of ways to dress-up traditional favorites, and this should give you a good start!