Once children begin reading and writing on their own, it can seem like a whole new world opens up to them. Signs posted along the road, magazine headlines, signs at the grocery all become sources of information. While there are many “academic” focused ways to encourage reading and writing in those early days of stumbling… Continue Reading
A time out may stop a child from spitting or hitting. The threat of “no TV” may get a child to pick up his clothing from the floor. But…can consequences help children learn what to do instead of spitting or hitting? Will the continuous use of punitive consequences motivate children to be less messy, noisy,… Continue Reading
Often, what holds children back from trying something new is fear of failure or the memory of a time they didn’t do well on something. We can help break that cycle by avoiding evaluative statements such as “good job” and opt to use encouraging words instead and offering our children opportunities to try things again…and… Continue Reading
Children most often have tantrums when they are feeling overwhelmed and unable to express their frustration, anger or upset feelings. Although popular advice may center around ignoring, walking away or using time-outs, gently responding to a tantrum is a wonderful way to connect and meet a young child’s needs and help them learn self… Continue Reading
Transforming Trash into Toys this summer turned out to be a wonderful experience for my children as well as a huge reminder that simple is often more than good enough!! Continue Reading
Do you find yourself worrying or stressed about parenting? Do you feel awful or guilty when you lose your temper or worry about the right way to praise, encourage and discipline? What would happen if you stopped worrying about how to pull this parenting thing off perfectly, and focused instead on somethings that make practicing… Continue Reading
The way we treat our children directly impacts what they believe about themselves. Having respectful interactions with our children is not only important, it is at the heart of raising respectful kids. Respectful Parents Raise Respectful Kids Most parents would like to raise respectful, caring cooperative kids. But so often we end up modeling disrespect. When… Continue Reading
Sometimes we get caught up with all the things we believe our children have to do, know and understand. We focus so much on how to change behaviors and control emotions. There are huge expectations, not just of our children but of ourselves. We want magical formulas or the best way to get children to… Continue Reading
Sometimes we get caught up in complaining that our children are not responding to us when we would like them to. We think they are dawdling, or taking their “sweet time,” or “dragging their feet” or just being “selfish.” Here’s the thing though, how long does it take for us to respond to a… Continue Reading
Children often enjoy doing household tasks because it gives them a sense of belonging and a feeling of capability. Yet, many families feel that chores lead to power struggles and are a hassle to deal with. The problem with chores very often has to do with how we parents approach the whole idea of chores… Continue Reading
Copyright Notice: It is not permitted to copy, re-blog or distribute contents without prior written permission from the Positive Parenting Connection.