Category Discipline
“It was hard to be mad when you were so kind to me.”
In my role as a parenting speaker I do a lot of role plays with people in the audience. Though I had seen a lot of yelling, whining, and laughter from these role plays, I had never seen tears —…
Want Kids to Value Your Advice? Try This.
Caroline was thoughtful as I described how our young adult kids call from time to time and ask us to help them think through a situation. “After they describe their dilemma, we usually ask them thoughtful questions to guide…
Why We’ll Never Stop Having Kids
Although I’m 62 and won’t be giving birth to any more children any time soon, I recently reflected that God gives us children in many ways, some biologically and some spiritually. It is a privilege to build into the…
How to Avoid Being Taken Hostage by Kids’ Demands
Parents sometimes feel like hostages to the intense demands of their children, intimidated into submission with the threat of “the big gun” – a deafening meltdown. One of our online course participants asked for help: Our 3 1/2 year old…
Is Your Kid a Drama Queen? Great!
Ever roll your eyes and and internally judge a child as a “drama queen” or “king”? Time to stop judging and start guiding that drama talent to empower kids to turn their misbehavior around! And here’s why:
Why It’s Good That Your Kids Don’t Believe You
When kids melt down, we often counsel parents to respond with empathy. When you truly understand your struggling child, it strongly communicates the essential message, “You are loved no matter what!” Often, communicating empathy in the midst of misbehavior takes…
“If My Kid’s a Slob Now, How Will He Hold a Job Later?”
“When I look at my son’s messy room, it puts a knot in my stomach.” Joe was insightful and honest as he described his emotions about his son’s room. “Just the sight of his dresser drawers hanging out with stuff…
What to Do When You Dislike Your Child
During the very difficult years of early parenting, I would go through long times of despair, as well as periods of dislike for one or more of my children. I felt horribly guilty as well as angry with my family…
Communicate Love to Your Kids. Use Words When Necessary.
When kids melt down, we often advise parents to respond with empathy, by saying out loud what the kiddo might be feeling. But sometimes we can communicate everything we need to — without words.
Business Wisdom for Parents
We were excited to see our frequently-used concept of “the do over” appear on the blog of business and leadership guru Seth Godin, and we think his insights apply just as much to parents as to businesspeople. Here’s what he…