Category Discipline
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?
Do you require immediate obedience from your kids? Does God require immediate obedience from our children? What does the Bible say about obedience? My thinking on this topic has changed over time. “Delayed obedience is disobedience.” Or so they said.…
Back to School
No matter the type of school – preschool, public, private, home-school, or alternative school – the transition from summer activities to educational studies generally has a few bumps in the road for both parents and kids. Because of feedback from…
Beat Boredom This Summer With These 4 Tips
Research has shown that being bored is not such a bad thing for kids. Boredom can foster creativity and patience. Yet, when a parent hears that tired phrase, “I’m bored!” again and again, we may feel the need to fix…
Do You Offer Empowering or Trapping Choices?
You’ve likely heard the wise advice to give two choices to help empower kids and significantly decrease power struggles. What you may not have heard is how kids often feel “trapped” by the choices parents present to them. In partnership…
Encouragement from a Dad Who’s Been There
Hey, dads! I’ve been thinking a lot about you lately. You see, Lynne and I have this amazing opportunity to speak to groups of parents all over the country. Most of these workshops, however, are filled with a majority of…
Should I Require Fighting Kids to Apologize?
Sibling conflict can be discouraging as parents wonder, “Will these kids ever learn to get along? Will they ever be close?” Jim and I wondered that. Our online course, Sibling Conflict: From Bickering to Bonding, is packed with the insights…
5 Ways to Find Sanity During Family Car Trips
Ahh, the bliss of car-trip vacations. Do family car trips tend to drive you insane? Does it feel like your kids will have more memories of annoyed parents than exciting memories of adventure? Whether our children are toddlers or teens,…