Positive Discipline Archives - Nicole Schwarz, LMFT https://imperfectfamilies.com/category/discipline/ Parent Coach for Imperfect Families Tue, 24 Jan 2023 19:35:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://imperfectfamilies.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Favicon-150x150.png Positive Discipline Archives - Nicole Schwarz, LMFT https://imperfectfamilies.com/category/discipline/ 32 32 43657206 Encouraging kids to listen: A Guide for Parents https://imperfectfamilies.com/encouraging-kids-to-listen-a-guide-for-parents/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/encouraging-kids-to-listen-a-guide-for-parents/#respond Fri, 27 Jan 2023 11:49:15 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=12636 Kids won’t listen? Feeling ignored? This guide will help you understand why your kids aren’t listening and what you can do to encourage them to listen well. In my parent coaching sessions, getting kids to listen is the #1 concern. Parents share these complaints: My kids ignore me. My kids won’t do what I ask unless I threaten to take something away or give them

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/encouraging-kids-to-listen-a-guide-for-parents/feed/ 0 12636 When Kids Get Aggressive: A Guide For Parents https://imperfectfamilies.com/when-kids-get-aggressive-a-guide-for-parents/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/when-kids-get-aggressive-a-guide-for-parents/#respond Mon, 23 Jan 2023 11:38:28 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=12634 Parenting a child who hits, kicks, bites, or hurts others can feel overwhelming and confusing.  This guide will give you an overview of how to support your child when they are aggressive, and help them learn how to manage their big feelings without aggression. “How can we get our 5-year-old to stop hitting?” “My three-year-old kicks me, sometimes without warning!” “I can’t leave my twins

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/when-kids-get-aggressive-a-guide-for-parents/feed/ 0 12634 7 Tips to raise independent kids https://imperfectfamilies.com/independent-kids/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/independent-kids/#respond Mon, 20 Dec 2021 10:58:36 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11702 7 tips that encourage your child to become more independent doing chores, completeing homework, practicing critical thinking, and making good choices.  “I’m wearing dirty pants today because I need to do laundry,” my daughter announces as she comes into the kitchen for breakfast. I wait a beat. “I’ll do it after school,” she adds, pouring a bowl of cereal. My kids start doing their own

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/independent-kids/feed/ 0 11702 Reduce Shame: 21 Things Your Child Needs To Hear https://imperfectfamilies.com/reduce-shame-21-things-your-child-needs-to-hear/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/reduce-shame-21-things-your-child-needs-to-hear/#respond Mon, 22 Nov 2021 10:39:05 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11668 Is your child stuck in the “I’m a bad kid” cycle? Caregivers can reduce the effects of shame, using these phrases to remind your child that they are seen, known, and loved. Shame is a powerful force.  It sends the message that you are not worthy of love. It tells us we should hide our true selves because people would reject us if we were

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/reduce-shame-21-things-your-child-needs-to-hear/feed/ 0 11668 25 Alternatives to Timeouts, Grounding, and Taking Things Away https://imperfectfamilies.com/25-alternatives-to-timeouts-grounding-and-taking-things-away/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/25-alternatives-to-timeouts-grounding-and-taking-things-away/#respond Tue, 19 Oct 2021 16:19:33 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11539 Change the way you think about discipline! These 25 parenting tips focus on positive, respectful, age-appropriate alternatives. When it comes to discipline, it’s easy to feel stuck.  We’re told to use timeouts, grounding, bribes, taking things away, and even spanking, but nothing seems to make a difference. Maybe we’ve been thinking about discipline all wrong. Rather than trying to find ways to “control” our kids

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/25-alternatives-to-timeouts-grounding-and-taking-things-away/feed/ 0 11539 A Reintroduction: Nicole Schwarz, Parent Coach https://imperfectfamilies.com/nicole-schwarz-imperfect-families/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/nicole-schwarz-imperfect-families/#respond Tue, 21 Sep 2021 09:25:38 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11502 Celebrating 10 years of positive, respectful parenting strategies at ImperfectFamilies.com and looking forward to the next adventure.  Welcome to Imperfect Families! I’m Nicole Schwarz, Parent Coach, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and mom to 3 girls. I did not start out using positive, respectful parenting strategies. My career as a therapist started in 2004, where I worked with children and teens who struggled with anxiety,

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/nicole-schwarz-imperfect-families/feed/ 0 11502 How to banish the word “should” from your parenting vocabulary https://imperfectfamilies.com/how-to-banish-the-word-should-from-your-parenting-vocabulary/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/how-to-banish-the-word-should-from-your-parenting-vocabulary/#respond Thu, 02 Sep 2021 14:16:55 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11459 The words “should” and “should not” add unnecessary guilt and shame to our parenting. Use these tips to parent in a way that moves you in a positive direction. Sitting on the couch, scrolling social media, you sigh. Thoughts swirl through your head as you peek into the carefully curated accounts online, “I should get organized.” And, “I should take the kids to the library.”

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/how-to-banish-the-word-should-from-your-parenting-vocabulary/feed/ 0 11459 Try this “Magic Ratio” With Your Kids Today https://imperfectfamilies.com/try-this-magic-ratio-with-your-kids-today/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/try-this-magic-ratio-with-your-kids-today/#respond Wed, 30 Jun 2021 09:00:11 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11288 Is the communication in your home full of complaints, arguments, and whining? Chances are the “magic ratio” is off. Use these tips to bring some peace and calm to your family. After another extremely frustrating day battling his son about everything from screentime to bedtime, a parent sat down with me for a parent coaching session. During our conversation, he noticed that he only called

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/try-this-magic-ratio-with-your-kids-today/feed/ 0 11288 Waiting for Emotional Maturity: A Reminder for Parents https://imperfectfamilies.com/emotional-maturity-kids-reminder/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/emotional-maturity-kids-reminder/#respond Tue, 01 Sep 2020 14:47:40 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=10723 Feeling frustrated because your child seems “too old” for certain behavior? This post will encourage you as you wait for them to mature emotionally. Thank you to April Finley for this guest post. Read more about her in the bio below! When my firstborn was between five and six years old, I felt pressured to teach him to read. We homeschool, so the pressure wasn’t

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/emotional-maturity-kids-reminder/feed/ 0 10723 Overcoming the Pressure to Produce a Good Human https://imperfectfamilies.com/overcoming-the-pressure-to-produce-a-good-human/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/overcoming-the-pressure-to-produce-a-good-human/#respond Sun, 10 May 2020 10:46:33 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=10362 We all want to raise children who are well-behaved, thoughtful, and intelligent, but sometimes we miss the fact that we’re already raising a good human. All eyes are on you. The room is silent. Embarrassment floods your body. You want to grab your child and run out the door – hoping everyone will forget the rude thing he just shouted. This isn’t how you raised

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