Category Discipline
So You Killed The Cat….Now What?
“Do you think we should tell the kids what really happened? What they don’t know won’t hurt them, right?” We received this question when a parent accidentally ran over the sleeping, aging family cat. What would you say if they…
How Do I Get This Behavior to Stop?
The first dad was angry I answered his phone call and heard a wide assortment of issues. His son was hanging out with a group of friends the dad did not like at all. He’d caught his son stealing, lying,…
Stay Curious During Tough Conversations
I remember a tough conversation I needed to have with our third-grade son, Daniel. I wasn’t very happy about the company he was starting to keep. His behavior was getting worse as he hung out with what I concluded must be…
“I can’t hear you!”
“I can’t hear you!! I can’t hear you!!” You thought his misbehavior was frustrating, but when your child covers his ears and yells “I can’t hear you!” it sends your blood pressure through the roof! We received this question from…
“Spread Yourselves THICK!”
“Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial.” I Corinthians 6:12 Our oldest child, Daniel, made a grand pronouncement one morning upon learning that we all had to go to church early, and stay through three services, because of our…
Words that Hurt
In this Q & A, Jim and Lynne take 4 minutes to respond to a question from a mom and dad regarding their son’s hurtful words to his siblings. “Our son constantly criticizes and teases our daughters – and anyone…
Sometimes I Cry About My Parenting Mistakes
There are some mornings when I wake up with a knot in my stomach and questions on my mind. Sometimes I even cry about my parenting mistakes. Maybe you’ve been there too. (Or questions and worries nag you while you’re…
Raising Kids Who Say “Thank You”
We talk to many parents who tell us their kids are not grateful. Not only do their children expect to be fed and clothed, but they expect to eat whatever they want and be clothed with the latest brands. They…
WHAT-EVER!! Ideas for Responding to Sass With Class
What-EVER! (with an eye roll) You’ve seen it a hundred, maybe even a thousand times. Your child doesn’t like what you’ve said and responds with a head tilt, and eye roll, and the grand pronouncement, “What-EVER!!!!” What do you do…
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Are We Raising Animals?
There are so many little things our kids do that drive us crazy! Often in an effort to get the behavior to stop we react quickly and without thinking. We use body language and words that convey messages like, “You…