Positive Parenting can help toddlers feel safe, loved, capable and cooperative. Toddlers love to test limits and say no. Sometimes toddlers may cry a lot. For that reason, toddlers get quite the reputation for being terrible… But the toddler years don’t have to be terrible. The so called terrible two’s can be in fact quite terrific.… Continue Reading

How Can I Get My Kids to Listen?

How Can I Get My Kids to Listen?

How Parents Can Increase Cooperation with Positive Discipline How Can I get My Kids to Listen? This is by far one of the most frequent questions I am asked in my parent coaching practice. After ruling out a true hearing issue, I often remind parents of the saying “It’s not what you say, but how you…

Are Natural Consequences A Good Discipline Choice?

Are Natural Consequences A Good Discipline Choice?

  Natural Consequences are often talked about as the go-to gentle alternative to punitive actions like time-outs or removing privileges. Using natural consequences can, in fact, be an excellent parenting tool, but sometimes resorting to natural consequences may be ineffective and downright dangerous. When used properly, children can learn a lot from natural consequences, however…

Helping Your Child Through Disappointment

Helping Your Child Through Disappointment

Disappointment can be like a tidal wave of emotions for your kids. Image this scenario: The van is packed, and you’re about ready to head out the door. Suddenly, you hear thunder in the distance. No! It can’t be! You checked the weather, and it wasn’t supposed to rain for a few more hours. But minutes…

Positive Parenting: How To Encourage Children to Follow Your Guidance

Positive Parenting: How To Encourage Children to Follow Your Guidance

Skip time out and other hurtful “discipline” techniques: Children learn right from wrong, not because they were sent to the corner alone, but because they begin to understand expectations and situations, and because they have enough information that will ultimately help them make better decisions.

What you Don’t Want to Say to Stop Unwanted Behaviors

What you Don’t Want to Say to Stop Unwanted Behaviors

How often do you use the word ‘don’t’ to stop unwanted behaviour in your children? Does it actually work? Most parents say it does not. When I first became aware of the little impact this word has, it threw me. I had no idea how often I was using it, and how often it left…

When Children Test Limits and Don’t Accept Choices

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?

How to move your child from “I can’t” to “I’m capable”

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 Transform Criticism And Bring Out the Best in Your Child

How To Transform Criticism And Bring Out the Best in Your Child

The best praise is focused on your child’s effort, not your child’s traits. The same is true of criticism. In one study by Columbia University researchers, kindergarteners were given a scenario: a teacher asks them to create a house out of Legos, and they forget to put in windows. Then the teacher and child role-play…

Get Your Toddler To Listen and Cooperate (Positive Parenting Examples)

Get Your Toddler To Listen and Cooperate (Positive Parenting Examples)

Inside: How do you discipline a child that won’t listen? Understand toddler behavior and learn positive ways to encourage cooperation. Examples of how to use positive parenting strategies to get your toddler to listen included. One very challenging task in the early years of parenting is finding ways to encourage cooperation and listening. You might find…

Discipline for Young Children: 12 Alternatives to Time Outs

Discipline for Young Children: 12 Alternatives to Time Outs

Here are twelve alternatives to time outs that give parents and children a chance to address choices and situations with the intention to offer guidance while maintaining a positive, respectful and peaceful connection. These alternatives are mostly geared towards children aged 1 to 6 years but also work well beyond that too.

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