Driving back from the second day of school, my two boys started to tease each other and bicker. Determined not to yell at them and having just spotted the recycling center parking lot, I pulled into that lot, took out my book and started reading. Within seconds and without prompting, they had stopped, apologized…
How to move your child from “I can’t” to “I’m capable”
The “I can’t” stage is a tough one. Parents often feel torn about how to handle these two words. Some parents feel that they should step right in and help because it is their parental duty. Others feel that those two words are unacceptable and that their child must at least “try.” The optimal way to…
How to Stop Power Struggles
Power struggles between parents and children happen most often when the parents’ expectations and abilities of the child in that moment are out of sync. So often, your job as a parent is to keep a certain amount of order in your home. This helps the whole family feel safe and well. That also means…
Positive Parenting: How to Follow Through With Limits
Most parents have great intentions when they come up with limits and boundaries. Which rules to set and why they are important are usually clear. The power struggles and negotiation start when parents find that keeping those limits, following through, just doesn’t go so well. While most children will not actually admit to wanting or…
When Baby is Fussy: All About Colic, Gas and Feeding
A baby’s fussiness, colic, gas or other tummy pains should never be ignored. While Babies can easily become upset, the quicker you can understand the problem and alleviate symptoms the sooner your child will calm. The many reasons for a baby’s upset stomach are not that dissimilar to the causes of an upset stomach in…
When Children Test Limits and Don’t Accept Choices
Consider this. Your child chose C because it is his job. His job to practice being in charge of himself as often as possible. Her job to test you, to let you know HER preference, to state loud and clear “I am the boss of ME!” And your child is right. He IS the boss of himself, and as the boss, he gets to ultimately decide what choice he will make. This is truly evidence of just the kind of self-directed, independent soul you (most of the time) want to grow. Someone who is in charge of themselves.
Okay, but you still need to get out the door. To continue to support your child in their quest to be independent it is important to respect their choice. How does this look and still get out the door–maybe on time?
Discipline for That Kid that Bites, Hits and Screams
Danny just turned three years old and he used to be that kid. That kid that bites, hits and screams at playgroup…The kid everyone kind of sighs about when he arrives. That kid that ends up being placed in time out several times or taken home mid activity. Danny isn’t that kid anymore! Here is a glimpse of what…
When a Parenting Tool is Not Working
Do you ever feel badly that a parenting tool everyone thinks is oh so great isn’t working for you? Or just frustrated in general that a tool you would like to use doesn’t seem to work? No matter how great a parenting tool may seem, in truth, parenting tools are not one size fits all. Sometimes…
Limiting Screen Time for Children With Positive Discipline Tools
A new resource for managing family screen time Screen time has become part of the daily routine for many families. Children of all ages seem to be spending time with tablets,TVs, computers and games these days. While screens can be a source of entertainment, fun and learning, too much screen time can leave families disconnected…
Letting Children Learn
IT IS GLUE! IT IS STICKY! MAMA LOOK!!!”
What a beautiful process this was, to watch my daughter lead the way in her own learning. Direction has a place, instructions sometimes are needed but moments like this remind me that our children often, very often, have the answers within themselves.
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