Difficult Relationships / Rod E. Smith

“My boyfriend and I are about to get married. I have a problem. He’s insecure that my daughter’s father is in her life. What do I do to assure him that nothing is going on between my ex and me other than taking care of our child? What do I do?” (Edited)
It is not [...]

Filed under: Boundaries, Children, Coaching, Communication, Dating, Differentiation, Difficult Relationships, Divorce, Growing up | No Comments »

“Our daughter has a great boyfriend. They are being wise. She has concerns about his feelings of insecurity and poor self-image. She is sometimes inclined to break up with him. However, he is very kind and they get on very well. I’ve recommended that she challenge him to get help as a pre-condition to marriage [...]

Filed under: Difficult Relationships, Growing up, Happiness, High maintenance relationships | 1 Comment »

A few times a week our son (6) comes to our bed in the night or very early in the morning. Sometimes I am so tired I have no resistance and let him sleep with us. Other times I get up and take him to his bed. I am more concerned about this than my [...]

Filed under: Boundaries, Children, Family, Fathers, Growing up, Happiness, Parenting/Children, Space, healing, mother | Tagged: child, getting up in the night, nights, own bed, sleeping | 1 Comment »

1. Be aware of the unique, honored position I have in your life, and regard it with the respect it deserves.
2. Hear you, even if you are telling me things I’d rather you not say.
3. Be willing to disagree with you, when, in my estimation, you are wrong, off target, or unfair in your actions [...]

Filed under: Authentic love, Boundaries, Coaching, Communication, Differentiation, Difficult Relationships, Family, Friendship, Growing up, Happiness, High maintenance relationships, Interpersonal intimacy, Listening, Personal growth, Reactivity, Recovery, Relationships, Responsive people, Teenagers, Victims, Voice, Womanhood, Young Love | Tagged: Family, Friendship, Love, men and women, power of friendships | 2 Comments »

“My friend and I talk on the phone a lot. Yesterday I was very busy and I forgot to phone. When I did he reamed me out like I was a schoolboy who did not do his homework. What do you think I should do?”
Apologize. Call him exactly on time the next time. Tell him [...]

Filed under: Authentic love, Difficult Relationships, Growing up, Happiness, High maintenance relationships | Tagged: apologize. school boy, calls, friend, insensitve, phone, sorry | No Comments »

Deliver your own news – good or bad. Don’t use others as carrier pigeons.
Try not to keep people waiting. While it is sometimes unavoidable, effort on your part to be punctual will speak volumes about you.
Find a way to remember people’s names. You’ll be surprised how much it will do for you.
Spend less than you [...]

Filed under: Authentic love, Growing up, Happiness, High maintenance relationships, Love, Relationships, Responsive people | Tagged: getting better, hope, Love, Relationships, Trust, truth, wellness | 4 Comments »

 
Dedicated to Younger Readers (From my book: A SHORT COURSE IN GOOD MANNERS for Middle School and All other Humans)
I will not apologize for adults who treat you with less than good manners, but I will try to articulate a few things that I know annoy younger people about some adults. When dealing with annoying [...]

Filed under: Authentic love, Boundaries, Children, Communication, Community, Compatibility, Education, Family, Growing up, Happiness, Humor | Tagged: church, communicating with youth, fun, kids, middle school, talking down to kids, youth groups | 2 Comments »

I am proud of this 80+ page book written for 7th grade or Middle School students. To have a copy delivered to your door GO TO www.toughplace.blogspot.com and click on BUY to the right.$11.00 inclusive of postage.
Allow a few days for delivery within the USA (a little longer outside of the USA).

Filed under: Differentiation, Growing up, Happiness, Manners, Personal growth | Tagged: Children, good manners, Manners, middle school, School, schools, teachers, young people, youth | No Comments »

It is in us to love. It’s human. We have the capacity for it. Even hurt and rejected people can love. Once a person accepts that love has more than romantic connotations, as powerful and valid as these of course are, he or she will be able to see its broader power.
Love is unleashed through [...]

Filed under: Anger, Anxiety, Attraction, Authentic love, Betrayal, Boundaries, Cheating, Children, Communication, Community, Compatibility, Control issues, Dads, Differentiation, Difficult Relationships, Double standards, Faith, Family, Generosity, Grace, Growing up, Happiness, High maintenance relationships, Interpersonal intimacy, Listening, Long distance relationships, Love, Marriage, Meditation, Past relationships, Personal growth, Re-marriage, Recovery, Sexual abuse, Sexual compatibility, Therapeutic Process, Toxic Relationships, Triggers, Trust, Victims, Voice, Weddings, Womanhood, Young Love | Tagged: courage, Family, healing, hurt, husband, Love, wife | 4 Comments »

“I don’t know what to do. My brother (25) and his girlfriend (24) are coming to stay for a few days. They live together (and are not married). My children (boys who are 6 and 7) know they are not married and I don’t know if I should let my brother and his girlfriend stay [...]

Filed under: Double standards, Faith, Family, Growing up, Happiness, Home, In-laws | Tagged: brother, married, sex, sleeping, unmarried, visits, where, who | 2 Comments »