Parenting….from toddlers to teens the joys and stresses are endless! This section focuses on ways to make parenting more manageable and less stressful while increasing the positive interactions you have with your children!

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How Many Times Do I Have To Repeat Myself?

June 5, 2019, Melissa A Jones, PhD

As a clinical psychologist and mom of seven, I definitely have a lot of parenting experience! Check out all of my best parenting tips, tricks, and more in my book! These are my favorite and my best strategies that I share with friends and with patients and I put all of them in one easily accessible place!


Focus on the Positives Self-Care Journal

The Importance of Journaling for Self-Care

August 14, 2022, Melissa A Jones, PhD | Leave a comment

The importance of journaling is undeniable. As a clinical psychologist who has been practicing for almost twenty years, I’ve learned…

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best advice for mothers

The Best Advice for Mothers

December 15, 2021 Melissa A Jones, PhD | Leave a comment

It seems as though we are all looking for that hidden gem, the best advice for mothers. The hidden gem…

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How to get your toddler to eat what you want them to

How To Get Your Picky Toddler To Eat!!

November 13, 2021 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 24 Comments

Enjoy this guest post by Halimeh Salem Do you have a picky eater at home? If you do, I know…

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self-love is possible even for single parents

Happy Valentine’s Day to…myself? The importance of self-care & self-love

February 11, 2021 Kristyn Jones | 2 Comments

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I’m sure you have seen all the candies, flowers, decorations, and Valentine’s Day dinner…

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How to Manage Your ADHD Child at Home

January 3, 2021 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 52 Comments

As a clinical psychologist with fifteen years of experience and seven kids, I have a massive amount of experience dealing…

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Book Sale!

December 31, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | Leave a comment

Get yours while the sale is on! I’m running several New Year’s Promotions to get my book out to as…

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5 Ways to Stay Entertained when Stuck at Home

November 27, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | Leave a comment

We know it’s difficult to keep kids busy when it’s too cold or too rainy to go outside or, now,…

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6 of the Best Tips for Kids with ADHD

November 22, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | Leave a comment

Here are some great tips with detailed information to help make life easier when your child is dealig with ADHD!!…

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Top 5 Parenting Strategies

November 11, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 43 Comments

I am a mom/step-mom of seven and a clinical psychologist, so I have a lot of experience and training in…

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How to Combat the “I’m Bored” Monster!

November 1, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 2 Comments

Check out this free download! Great tips for ways to keep your little ones (and bigger ones) from being quite…

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IEP & 504 Tips–FREE DOWNLOAD

November 1, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | Leave a comment

Check out this free download with all the basics and tips you need to know about your child’s IEP or…

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Fun and Unique Gifts for HER!

October 27, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 42 Comments

Women (especially mom’s) are often the hardest people to buy gifts for. They are typically the ones that do all…

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AMAZING Parenting Tips–Recap Edition!

October 24, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 25 Comments

I have had the opportunity to be a psychologist for over fifteen years, seeing thousands of clients throughout that time.…

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Stocking Stuffers for TEENS

Melissa A Jones, PhD | Leave a comment

Teens….teens tend to be the most difficult to find stocking stuffers for. Teens often have expensive taste, so trying to…

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Mental Health Awareness– Focusing on Depression & Anxiety

October 18, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 34 Comments

Mental health issues have been near and dear to my heart for many years. I’ve been working in the mental…

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The Best MUST READ books to Learn, Grow, and Improve Your Life

October 12, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | Leave a comment

The following books are some of my favorites! They are books I recommend for my children and grandchildren, friends, and…

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5 Parenting Hacks for Less-Stressed Parenting

September 8, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 3 Comments

As parents, we tend to be stressed! We are juggling home, work, family, kids, finances, and much, much more! We…

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5+ Creative Ways to Reduce Stress

July 21, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 1 Comment

Life is stressful and only seems to get more stressful each day. Given all the changes this year has brought,…

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7 Easy Ways to Travel For Less

July 16, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 14 Comments

I love traveling and I have raised my children to enjoy traveling, but it can get expensive fast! With having…

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It Finally Happened

July 5, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | Leave a comment

It’s about time… I got my book, How Many Times Do I Have To Repeat Myself? Simple Steps to Stress-Free…

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Parenting Tips for ALL Moms!

June 22, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | Leave a comment

Our newest addition to Family Centered Life is our new Facebook group: Parenting Tips for ALL Moms! This group is…

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Get 2 Months of ABCmouse.com for $5!

Kid Appropriate Screen Time!

June 18, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | Leave a comment

Great program for kids! This is one program that will make both kids and parents happy! The content is fun…

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Activities while You and Your Family are Quarantined!

March 17, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 32 Comments

Updated 4/11/2020…check out the new ideas added at the end of this post!! Now is the perfect time to catch…

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5+ Ways to Manage Anxiety

February 17, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 31 Comments

Most people experience anxiety at some time in their lives. Some only experience anxiety during very stressful situations or events…

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What I learned in 2019

January 1, 2020 Melissa A Jones, PhD | 1 Comment

2019 was a crazy fast and crazy busy year for me! I was able to travel, try new adventures, and…

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Help! How Can I Make It Through the Holidays with My Kids??

December 23, 2019 Melissa A Jones, PhD | Leave a comment

We all want to have that picture-perfect family! The kids listen! Nobody is having a tantrum or crying! Your spouse…

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Mice are Food, Not Friends!

September 11, 2019, Melissa A Jones, PhD | 37 Comments

With having raised so many children (7.5 children actually), so we have had quite a variety of pets throughout the…

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What Did You Do at School Today?

August 11, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

You ask the same question every day after school (What did you do at school today?) and you get the…

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Five Tips for Busy Moms

August 10, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

All moms are busy, but sometimes (many times) that business can become stressful and overwhelming. Often, just a little planning…

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Senior Year?!?!?

August 7, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

I can’t believe I’m sending another kid off to start his senior year of high school. I have helped raise…

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Date Your Spouse!

July 21, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

You met your spouse, spent time together, got to know him or her better, spent more time together finding out…

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Back to School Tips for 2019

July 15, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

With school resuming in the near future here are a few tips to help start the school year off right!…

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Books Recommend By Clinical Psychologist Dr. Jones

July 11, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

As a clinical psychologist, I always like being able to recommend books to my patients. Books allow them to be…

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Miscarriage…21 years later

June 29, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

There is nothing worse than the death of a child. All those hopes, dreams, and plans made are lost. There…

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Parenting Book Excerpt

 June 29, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

Why am I qualified to teach parenting? So, why am I qualified to talk about parenting and relationships? First, I’m…

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5 Ways to Help Children Increase Frustration Tolerance

June 26, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

There are endless ways to help your children manage emotions and improve their frustration tolerance. These are just five of the many ways that work well.

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Parents Want to Have Fun Too!

June 23, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

As parents, it’s often hard to remember to take time for yourself, much less actually have time to do something for…

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When the Stomach Bug Hits!

June 19, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

I’m a mom of 7.5 kids (see my About Me page if you want to understand that one). I feel…


What do you do when the Mom of Boys doesn’t like camping?

June 15, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

I was a single mother when my children were very young. Due to that, I decided I must make sure I…


How Many Times Do I Have To Repeat Myself?

June 5, 2019, Melissa A Jones, PhD

Why won’t my child listen? Why does my child’s teacher always call about his behavior at school? Why is my child,…


Coming soon…..

May 28, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

How Many Times Do I Have to Repeat Myself? Simple Steps to Stress-Free Parenting and Better Family Relationships This is…


What do I do now that my child has been diagnosed with ADHD?

May 22, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

I often have parents ask what they can do to help their children be successful once they have been diagnosed…


Does My Child Have ADHD?

May 20, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

Does my child have ADHD? What’s wrong with my child? Is my child “bad”? Is my child’s teacher too strict?…


How to use Questions and Commands to get children to do what you need them to do

May 20, 2019, Melissa A Jones, Ph.D. | Leave a comment

All parents deal with times when their children refuse to comply with their requests. Sometimes it’s a flat out “no”…


Check out our free downloads for fun activities to do with your children and for a list of Kids Eat Free days at restaurants throughout the US!


Get 2 Months of ABCmouse.com for $5!

Plus…Check out my parenting book on Amazon in paperback and for Kindle!