Category Discipline
Christmas greetings from Connected Families
Messes. You’re likely surrounded by a bunch of them. Piles of dishes in the kitchen. Wrapping paper on the floor. Tired and over-sugared children. Stressed relationships. Just like parenting, Christmas is both messy, and beautiful. Today we celebrate Jesus coming…
Questions to Put the THANKS Back in Thanksgiving
“So, kids, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?” you ask. “My family, my house, my friends, my dog and Jesus.” (Same answers as last year….) If you think your kids might be open to some deeper thinking this year,…
To Unlock Your Child’s Heart, Just Ask for the Key!
If you are reading this, you probably want your kids to know how much you love them. And you probably tell them often that you do. But effectively communicating love is not always so simple. How can we be…
What Do I Do When My Child Just Says No?
Recently we received this question from Michelle: I am struggling with a tween who often says no to my requests. She is a good girl most of the time, but she will be disrespectful to me, and I have no…
Why “Stop it!” Doesn’t Work
I’d HAD it! I was sick of this aggravating behavior, day after day. I stopped in my tracks, glared at the little one who was driving me crazy, and yelled at the top of my lungs, “STOP IT!!” Do you…
3 Game-Changing Questions to Show Your Kids They’re Worth It
It can be hard work to grow as a parent. Especially when no matter how hard you try, things can still go haywire. Old patterns die hard, and it’s normal to fall into the default of huffing and puffing to…
Are Your Mornings Brutal?
John was fed up. Like many parents, he came to me looking for a quick fix. No matter what consequences or logic John put in place, his 6th grade son Ben just wouldn’t take responsibility for getting himself up and…
How to Break the Cycle of Crabbiness and Negativity
“I’m bored. No one wants to play with me. I hate my classes and that teacher. I’m no good at anything! Everything is just dumb!” Sound familiar? Kids can be pretty good at complaining and crabbing their way to get…
6 Survival Tips for Parents of Teens
In our work coaching hundreds of parents of tweens and teens over the years, we’ve uncovered six common themes that leave teens feeling a little more encouraged and willing to respect their parents. (And, if you’re a parent of…
Should We Demand Immediate Obedience?
For a more in depth look at requiring immediate obedience from our kids (and the possible pitfalls) please check out our expanded version of this article titled, “Should I Require Immediate Obedience from My Child?” Do you require immediate obedience…