“As much as we want to do for and give to our children, we can’t pour into them when we’re running on empty. Every once in a while, and definitely more often than most of us do, we need to fill our own buckets. This looks different for each of us – walking, exercising, … Continue reading Take Care of Yourself
Some days are just hard, and no matter what you do or say, your toddler may not be able to co-operate. Try to remember on those days that your toddler is ‘having a hard time’ not ‘giving you a hard time’, and he needs you in his corner more than ever. It is never wrong … Continue reading When Times Are Hard
Update: The eighth post in a series of ten on effective gentle discipline methods. This was one of my favorite posts to write. “Life’s disappointments are harder to take when you don’t know any swear words.” -Calvin & Hobbes We’ve been having thunder storms here for days now. … Continue reading Temper Tantrums
This is one in a series of posts I wrote on gentle, respectful ways to discipline, teach, and interact with young children. Updated 1/23/2012. Praise not. Or maybe it’s praise selectively… “Let your child’s inner joy be self-motivating. You can smile and express your genuine feelings but should refrain from giving excessive compliments, clapping … Continue reading Praise Not
Update 5/27/2012: This post is the sixth in a series that I wrote on gentle, effective ways to discipline young children. This one focuses on the importance of talking honestly with toddlers using clear, direct language. Many suggestions are included for how to talk with toddlers in ways that will support them in being … Continue reading Let’s Talk
Update: This is the fifth in a ten part series on gentle effective ways to discipline young children. If your child is in childcare, or you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting or participating in a parent/infant class, you may have found yourself wondering how it’s possible that groups of six or eight young … Continue reading Take a Good Look, and Make Your Environment Work For You
Update: The fourth in a series of ten posts about gentle, effective ways to guide young children to become self disciplined. A few words about exercise, rest, and nutrition, and their relationship to discipline.Whole books have been written on each of these topics, and while I don’t have time to write a book today, … Continue reading The Role Of Nourishment, Rest, and Exercise In Toddler Discipline
“On a perfect day in your perfect little world (and it’s always perfect) there is breakfast time, playtime, lunchtime, nap time, snack time, dinnertime, bath time, story time, and bedtime. There is time for everything when you are the timekeeper.” Karen Maezen Miller from Momma Zen, Walking The Crooked Path of Motherhood Update: … Continue reading It’s All Routine
”Empathy works so well because it does not require a solution. It requires only understanding.” – John Medina Update: This is the second post in a series of ten on gentle, effective ways to discipline young children. This post focuses on the importance of showing and expressing empathy for your child’s feelings (warmth), while setting … Continue reading A Toddler’s Point Of View
The goal of discipline is to help children to gain control over their impulses and become cooperative members of their families first, and then, society. We want to raise children we not only love, but love being around. Magda Gerber Update: This is the first in a series of ten posts I wrote in 2008, … Continue reading Helping Your Toddler To Learn To Co-Operate