I was once told that I would really value my strong willed kids one day, but that it would be hard raising them. But at the time I didn’t realize that strong willed and defiant were not the same thing, even if it was a fine line. I had to come to the conclusion on…
In 2011, I started shifting away from negative language in my high school classroom to a more positive beat. It’s part of what I studied and researched throughout college. Even so, to my astonishment, I started seeing results almost immediately. As if I was holding some sort of magical potion, these teenagers started behaving differently…
Our family believes in natural and logical consequences. We also strive for positive guidance through tough situations. But when a child becomes defiant or lies, natural consequences feel a little less “black and white” and a lot more confusing both for caregiver and child. It’s easy to feel like we’re grasping at straws to find a…
Emma, my 2nd child likes to stomp, scream, and hit when she is mad. Back when she was a so-called threenager, she could be vicious. Now entering more of the pre-teen stages, she and some of my other children have learned to deal with emotions better, but they’re still learning that using force is not…
Teaching kids how to help with their own discipline isn’t as hard as it might sound. It’s simply a matter of intentional parenting that teaches them important lessons to build character. In fact, my almost-five-year-old has learned to remove herself from situations when she feels her emotions spiraling out of control and has started to self-discipline…
Think back to your childhood. Slowly sift through your memories and think of the times your own parents felt like they were at the end of their rope with you from being uncooperative, disobedient, and ultimately a defiant child. Does anything stand out? Can you relate to your child better or understand your parent a…