Through my work, I’ve had the honour of interacting with thousands of students and young adults. When students and young adults share their struggles with me, it becomes evident that many of these struggles have to do with their relationship with their parents. Obviously, parents would never intentionally frustrate their children. But none of us [...]
Top Discipline Pitfalls of Parenting
October 18, 2012 | Posted by
“Cut it out. Or else …” How many times have you resorted to this tired threat with your child? And how many times has it worked? Yup, you’re not alone. Disciplining kids is one of the most confusing, difficult and important jobs we have as parents. Research has shown that kids around this age respond to positive [...]
Moving Beyond the Yelling and Empty Threats Method of Discipline
September 13, 2012 | Posted by
My confession: I yell at my kids. I yell in the house, sometimes closing the windows so the neighbors won’t hear. I yell in the car. I try not to yell in public, but I’m great at that poisonous, through-the-teeth hiss that’s almost as good. I also threaten to withhold treats, to send a misbehaving [...]
Positive Alternatives to Common Negative Phrases We Tell Our Children
September 3, 2012 | Posted by
I was trying to do two things at once — cook (in the kitchen) while deciphering some paperwork (in the next room). I’d been interrupted a thousand times with requests for snacks, shrieks over spilled paint water, questions about what squirrels like to eat, and arguments over whether clouds could be blue and flowers could [...]
Common Discipline Mistakes Parents Make
August 27, 2012 | Posted by
Making mistakes is part of being a parent, and discipline is an area where we slip up constantly. It’s one of our most daunting tasks, and to do it well we have to make clear, sensible, big-picture decisions at exactly the same moment when we are angry, frustrated, or embarrassed. And that’s just as hard [...]
