Tag Archives: parenting choices

Are You Asking Your Kids For Permission?

Have you ever heard a parent (or maybe even yourself) say something to a child like this: “Let’s stop hitting our sister, okay?” or “Would you like to go to bed now?” Maybe seeing it written out can show you that the parent is obviously abdicating authority and responsibility and giving the child an “out.” It is not uncommon for us parents to have an unconscious attitude of “asking” our kids for permission to be the parent in charge… Being the ultimate authority does not have to mean being a tyrant. I think this is where many parents falter and … Continue reading →

It is Okay to Be Diverse With Discipline

I know that as parents we are taught that firmness and consistency is the key when it comes to discipline. And, it is also tempting that when we find something that seems to work in the discipline department, we stick with it. BUT, there is nothing wrong with a little diversity. As a matter of fact, any parent has probably experienced finding something that seems to work for a while and then having everything change and finding that time outs, removal of privileges, discussions, etc. STOP working. Our kids change, life changes, and we find ourselves without discipline techniques to … Continue reading →

What if You Were Being Graded or Evaluated on Your Parenting?

I know that I have written before about trusting our instincts and trying to let other people’s opinions get to us when it comes to relaxing and doing what we think is best as parents. We do need to try to get away from worrying what other people think. But, I also think that sometimes it helps to think about what sort of “grade” we might get if we were evaluated on our parenting when we think that no one is looking… You’ve probably heard it before, it’s not what we do when we’re in public or on display that … Continue reading →

Coping With “The Sniper”

My son is currently in a stage I am calling “the sniper”–his modus operandi right now is to lurk about the outside edges of family interactions and then chip away with critical comments and attack from the flanks. His snarky, under-the-breath comments can be vicious, in addition to being downright annoying! It has taken me a while to come up with a coping strategy. As most of you parents know, it’s so much easier to see what OTHER PARENTS should be doing about their children’s troublesome behavior than to see objectively what one should be doing about her own. Besides, … Continue reading →

What Can Be Done About Tattling?

Tattling can top the list of bothersome behaviors for many parents—even only children are not exempt from learning the power that comes with tattling on neighbor children and friends. If you have more than one child, you are pretty much guaranteed that tattling will come into play in the family dynamics. But there are things that parents can do to help to diminish and negate tattling… Keep in mind that a child’s tattling might be about getting attention, but it is mostly about power and control. It is about trying to get someone to do what he or she wants … Continue reading →

When You Shouldn’t Laugh at Your Child’s Distracting Antics

The idea for this blog came to me when I was watching a little parent-child dynamic at the grocery store. The parent was trying to maintain some order and control and her child was acting up. The child had obviously mastered the art of performance as distraction and for attention. I could tell that the mother was trying NOT to laugh at her child’s misbehavior and the child was definitely being encouraged by the chuckles of passersby. It got me to thinking that sometimes, laughter is NOT the best medicine… When I was growing up, my youngest sister was nearly … Continue reading →

Tag-Team Parenting

It used to be that the father would go to work from 9 to 5 while the mother stayed home with the children. Yet according to recent studies by Heymann and Presser “today’s families have more family members in the workforce, work longer hours, and are more likely to work outside of the traditional 9-to-5 weekday schedule.” Heather Boushey, an Economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, reports that, “less than one-in-five families with children now have a full-time homemaker/caretaker.” Yet many parents do not want to use or can’t afford daycare for their children. What is the … Continue reading →