Parenting

Why did you do that?

Ever ask your kid why they did some (dumb, unwanted, whatever) thing? Yeah, me too. But! When I'm running my parenting "A" game, I try not to--for at least 2 good reasons.

De Jure versus De Facto Parenting

We parents often say things like "She needs to understand that no means no" or simply "He doesn't listen!" Behind these complaints is often a big ugly truth that just happens to have a Latin description: sometimes what we parents say isn't what we actually do.

Taking Children at their Word–part one

Clients of young children often tell me that their kids say things to them like "I hate you" or "You're the worst mom in the world," or even the milder but still related: "I'm not going to do that!" It's these "strong statements" that often leave parents feeling guilty or worried or challenged by seeming defiance.

Take a Deep Breath and Ask for What You Want

File this one under 'simple techniques, that, when taught & role modeled 1000 times, will produce life-long benefits for your child.' The scene: your 4 year old is upset because you have brought her the pink shoes instead of the purple ones. (How could you?!) Whining, crying, yelling and more fun stuff are starting to rear their heads.

Setting Physical Limits

Setting physical limits** is a particularly sticky area for many of the parents with whom I work. When our toddlers are 18 months old, we're confident that steering them away from the electrical outlet is "right," but the water gets murkier when they are 3 and refusing to walk to the car after music class. Don't even mention the bane of children (and parents) everywhere: the carseat.