Sleep and nighttime parenting is one hot topic when it comes to newborns and babies and even into toddlerhood. This is not a post on tips for sleep training, or intended to start war on nighttime parenting choices. If you hang around the positive parenting connection you know the goal here is to support parents not… Continue Reading
Parenting does not need to be about winning and losing battles or getting children ready to face the cold, harsh, real world, because parenting is not war. Parenting is a journey. Peace can be our compass. Continue Reading
Creating connection everyday is important to healthy development and for creating harmony at home. By working on connection we are sharing experiences, emotions, creating memories and deepening the bond that keeps us working well together. Continue Reading
It’s beyond unfortunate to see so many people cheering on the shame and the humiliation that so many parents are freely dishing out. It’s human nature to instinctively want to fit in with others and behavior is incredibly contagious…Shame and humiliation teach shame and humiliation. On the other hand, kindness begets kindness, respect brings about respect. Continue Reading
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. Continue Reading
Emotional intelligence, or understanding and managing one’s feelings wisely, is really important for healthy development. Children can really flourish when they are able to recognize, reason, understand and manage emotions. Continue Reading
The Power of a Meaningful Thank You Encouraging your child to say thank you and to feel gratitude is a process. Nurturing gratitude comes with practice, modelling, acknowledging and experiencing. Regardless of whether or not children appear thankful, they can learn to express their gratitude in meaningful ways. So how do we do it? How… Continue Reading
Using compliance as a parenting strategy commonly involves conflicts, power struggles and threats of losing a privilege, punishment or bribery. Many parents want and expect compliance because they are the parent or “things need to get done” or “time is of the essence” or safety is a concern. However, compliance often comes at the expense… Continue Reading
The importance of play doesn’t end there. Yes it’s enjoyable for them and yes play is important in child development but play also provides parents with a door to connect with their child on a deep level. I always love to say that I am hands on, this I feel sums up the play connection I am referring to. Engaging and being present in play is a hands-on way to establish a deep connection and strengthen a healthy relationship with your child. Continue Reading
Our children will make mistakes, they may make bad choices. We probably will too…that is ok, we don’t have to be perfect BUT we can strive and decide to make better choices! We can lead the way, we can ask for forgiveness, forgive, look for alternatives, provide solutions and most of all, we can be the safe and trusted placed our children need us to be. Continue Reading