The goody bag is bulging with toys and candy. Your youngest child beams with pride as she displays her loot and gives you a minute-by-minute recap of the "My Little Pony" themed birthday party she just attended. Out of the blue, your son snatches the goody bag and says, "That party was for babies." "It was not!" your daughter defends, … [Read more...]
What to do when your child refuses timeout
You gave him a warning. If he threw the crayons on the floor again, he would be in timeout. And...he did it anyway. So, into timeout he goes. Or, at least that's what should happen. Instead, you find yourself in a wrestling match. Grabbing him out of the chair, trying to drag him to the timeout area. He's not going without a fight. … [Read more...]
Just Tell Me What to Do: A Guide for Parents
Why do the meltdowns always happen at night? I'm exhausted. I'm off the clock. I'm done with this parenting gig for today. Don't my kids know that? All I want to do is stare mindlessly TV. And I'm not talking about Daniel Tiger or Ninjago. My child is screaming. I know I need to do something, but my mind is blank. I'm about to scream back, … [Read more...]
A Surprising Solution to Sibling Fighting
Your kids are fighting. Again. You can hear them in the living room arguing over the remote. Or the iPad. Or whatever. "Work it out guys!" you yell from the other room. The arguing continues. And in a matter of seconds, you hear screaming. They are obviously not working it out. In fact, it they never work it out. Will … [Read more...]
Beyond “Take a Deep Breath”: Help for the Angry Parent
You did it again. You lost your temper with your kids. You yelled. You criticized. No matter how hard you try, you keep falling back into these bad habits. You don't want to be an angry parent, but in the moment...it just happens. You've heard all about learning your triggers. And you know it's important. But you need … [Read more...]
Positive Parenting for Imperfect Families
It"s 8:30 on a school night. My daughter is supposed to be getting ready for bed. Instead, she's refusing to hand over the iPad, demanding "5 more minutes." I'm trying hard not to yell, but I can feel my blood pressure rising. I scan the stack of half-read parenting books on the shelf and wonder if any of them include the … [Read more...]
The teachable moment you might be missing
Parents hear a lot about finding "teachable moments" in their day. Opportunities to teach their kids right from wrong or to point out a valuable lesson. Unfortunately, finding teachable moments doesn't always come naturally. Most parents clump their family's values and important lessons into lengthy lectures given at the height of anger or … [Read more...]
How to stop having power struggles with your 3-year-old
It's exhausting going back and forth with your kids about everything from getting in the car seat to eating their veggies. This tip will help you explore your options and decrease the power struggles with your 3-year-old (and kids of any age!) Setting the plate in front of him, you cringe. You know what's going to happen. It happens every … [Read more...]
Sometimes, I don’t want to spend time with my kids
Positive parenting focuses a lot on the importance of connection. It's a pattern of behavior that lays the foundation for good interactions and a strong relationship for the long-term. Blah, blah, blah. You know that spending time with your kids is important. You know that you should be having quality time together each … [Read more...]
Why Flexibility is More Important than Consistency in Parenting
For many years parents have been told to be consistent. To follow through with the consequences we set. Not to back down when we've set a limit. This is a good strategy in theory, but it also binds us as parents. We make an impulsive decision to take away TV for a week, then feel stuck when we realize that there is no way to enforce … [Read more...]