MSI Press Blog

  Temper tantrums. Whether you're navigating your toddler's grocery-store meltdown or managing a child whose frustration has hit peak volume during bedtime, tantrums can feel like the emotional equivalent of walking barefoot across Legos. It’s in these loud, chaotic, soul-draining moments that we parents are asked to summon something superhuman: calm. Franki Bagdade’s award-winning parenting guide,  I Love My Kids, But I Don’t Always Like Them , doesn’t offer a fairy tale version of parenting—it delivers real talk for real life. With a career in behavioral observation and a deeply personal understanding of parenting exhaustion, Franki meets parents where they are: frazzled, burned out, and wondering what on earth just happened. The book is refreshingly honest, peppered with humor, and built on hard-earned wisdom. Franki’s stories and strategies help parents stay grounded, even when their child’s emotions are spinning out like a top in a tornado. Her approach is not about perfe...

  Creativity isn’t just about painting or playing music—it’s about thinking differently, solving problems, and expressing one’s inner world. Every child is born with creative potential, but whether that spark becomes a flame depends on the environment around them. When we nurture creativity—by encouraging curiosity, allowing mistakes, providing open-ended materials, and listening without judgment—we empower children to become confident, innovative thinkers. Creative children learn resilience, develop emotional intelligence, and discover that their voice matters. In a world increasingly driven by innovation, creativity is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Let’s move beyond rigid expectations and celebrate the unique ways each child learns, dreams, and creates. The results can be transformative—for them, and for us.  Franki Bagdade has great suggestions for how to do this in her award-winning book,  I Love My Kids, But I Don't Always Like Them . BOOK AWARDS IAN Book of the Ye...

  Social skills don’t always come naturally—and for some kids, navigating friendships, reading body language, or taking turns can feel like climbing a mountain with no map. Whether your child is shy, impulsive, anxious, or just figuring out how to “people,”  I Love My Kids, But I Don't Always Like Them .  is the compassionate guidebook you didn’t know you needed. Franki, a seasoned expert in behavior with two decades of experience observing kids in classrooms and camps, knows what it looks like when a child flounders socially—and how much it can drain a parent’s energy. With warmth, humor, and refreshing honesty, she invites readers into her own messy, real-life journey raising three very different children. Her book offers no shame and no finger-wagging—just real tools to help your child grow into their social self, even if you’re running on coffee and fumes. Inside this award-winning parenting survival guide, you’ll find strategies for helping kids build relationships, ...

Temper tantrums. Whether you're navigating your toddler's grocery-store meltdown or managing a child whose frustration has hit peak volume during bedtime, tantrums can feel like the emotional equivalent of walking barefoot across Legos. It’s in these loud, chaotic, soul-draining moments that we parents are asked to summon something superhuman: calm. Franki Bagdade’s award-winning parenting guide, I Love My Kids, But I Don’t Always Like Them , doesn’t offer a fairy tale version of parenting—it delivers real talk for real life. With a career in behavioral observation and a deeply personal understanding of parenting exhaustion, Franki meets parents where they are: frazzled, burned out, and wondering what on earth just happened. The book is refreshingly honest, peppered with humor, and built on hard-earned wisdom. Franki’s stories and strategies help parents stay grounded, even when their child’s emotions are spinning out like a top in a tornado. Her approach is not about perfec...