The most important lesson in back talk is to help children realize that it’s not effective, polite or a respectful manner to communicate. It’s important to teach our children how to communicate their needs well. The aim in stopping back talk shouldn’t be to take our children’s opinions and needs out of the picture. Much to the contrary, it should be to help them instead learn how to politely disagree and make their needs known. Continue Reading
I believe you’ll discover how you choose to respond to your child will be in ways that support and encourage and affirm them for who they are.
In return, they can feel empowered…and that child on the periphery may begin to move into the group and engage; the child that feels so deeply begins to understand and accept her feelings even more–allowing her to manage those feelings better and better; the eye-rolling/sarcastic stuff from your teen can lessen…and they may begin to open up about what is really troubling them; the button pushing turns into more cooperative behavior and you feel calmer and more patient daily Continue Reading
Maybe you’re from the “parent is always right” or “children should be seen and not heard” school of thought. If so, I would challenge you to examine how that is working for your relationship with your child. Conflict between a parent and a child sometimes stem from the child not feeling heard, valued or respected. I realize that you may not feel respected either. Taking steps to communicate respectfully may be a stride toward repairing the relationship. Continue Reading
How to Create A Plan to Help Children Overcome Unwanted Behavior Often parents ask me how to stop frustrating behavior. “My daughter follows me around the house and talks incessantly.” “My toddler won’t stay in his bed at night.” “My child’s tantrums are driving me crazy.” One way to think about ongoing annoying behavior is that… Continue Reading
A toddler has a melt down at the store. Later, he takes a cookie without telling you and spits on the ground. A preschooler throws his toys, refuses to help with clean up and later will not brush teeth or put on pajamas. A tween shouts no, rolls her eyes and bangs the door,… Often when… Continue Reading
In parenting, We can’t be peaceful 100% of the time. We can’t be patient 100% of the time. When we accept this, we can begin to be gentler with ourselves as parents. We can see ourselves as human and give ourselves the same level of forgiveness as we give our child. One of the most common… Continue Reading
Many parents I work with confess to yelling at their kids upwards of ten times a day. Parents say they do this most of all because they want their children to listen but they get zero cooperation. When promises, pleading and threats no longer work, yelling can feel like the only option. Especially if time is… Continue Reading
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. Continue Reading
How to Mindfully Recharge your Parental Empathy Bank Parenting has the potential to deplete us of all energy and form, leaving us feeling fatigued, confused, frustrated and overwhelmed. There are days when parenting can deplete us so profoundly that it becomes exceedingly difficult to see past our immediate day to day needs. During times like… Continue Reading
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… Continue Reading