Posts from February 2014

Obey First and Then We’ll Talk About It

• • • • • Parenting Tip February 19, 2014 Obey First and Then We’ll Talk About It When parents give an instruction but children don’t want to comply or it’s not convenient for them, sometimes they need to learn to “obey first and then we’ll talk about it.” This emphasizes obedience. If little Brian has pulled a chair over to the counter and is climbing onto it, you may say, “Brian, we don’t climb on chairs.”“But I was just…”“No,…

Ending Every Discipline Time Positively

• • • • • Parenting Tip February 11, 2014 Ending Every Discipline Time Positively After a consequence or a conflict time, it’s important to have a Positive Conclusion. It’s usually best to talk about what the child did wrong, why it was wrong, and help the child develop a plan for next time. After that discussion, end the whole discipline by saying something like, “Okay, go ahead and try again.” An affirming statement at the end says, “I believe…

Teach Children What to Do Next Time

• • • • • Parenting Tip January 24, 2014 Teach Children What to Do Next Time Do you feel like some days you have to discipline kids for the same things over and over again? The child who has a problem hitting, interrupting, or just being annoying to others may need a lot of correction. It’s these problems that are great candidates for a Positive Conclusion. Each time the negative behavior takes place, have the child take a short…

Teaching “Why” Helps Children For the Future

• • • • • Parenting Tip January 15, 2014 Teaching “Why” Helps Children For the Future We encourage parents to ask their children a series of questions after every discipline experience. One of those questions is,  “Why was that wrong?” Some parents like this question because it appears to be a set-up for a parental lecture. Resist this urge. You may have a desire to lecture but your child may quickly turn you off. Furthermore some children answer this…