Parenting Playbook

Is it sibling rivalry or bullying at home?

Sibling rivalry can be seen in children’s ordinary skirmishes over the TV’s remote control or a video game’s joystick. However, what about chronic physical or verbal abuse? And what if chronic physical or verbal abuse is directed primarily at one sibling? That’s...

Becoming skillful with change . . .

Change is a part of life, but for some people any little change can cause distress. Change can be less stressful depending on how it is perceived and managed, so it is important for children to learn how to skillfully manage change. One way to help children learn...

Co-parenting despite contention . . .

Co-parents are the adults who are part of a parenting team. Functionally, co-parents can include any two or more adults who share the responsibility of raising children, so the arrangement might look like the traditional nuclear family or something different if the...

Stretch out conversations . . .

When you stretch out conversations with your toddler, you give your child an opportunity to connect his or her inner thoughts with the outside world. It’s really simple to stretch out the chatter when you take time to talk about everything under the sun. Conversation...

Self-control . . .

As parents, learning to control our own behavior influences our children and their actions. When parents and children feel out of control at the same time, a caring and constructive interaction is rarely the outcome. One way to stay connected to both feeling and being...

Encouraging compliance . . .

What are some of the healthy ways you can get your toddler to cooperate? Here are just a few ideas: Frame your request with an outcome that appeals to your child. For example, “We are going home now and then we can _________.” A toddler’s natural sense of fairness is...

Smiling feels good and is good for you . . .

Real benefits come along with smiling. As parents, the positive signals that come with a simple smile are worth considering, practicing, and teaching to our kids. Here are a few of the benefits: When you think of things that make you smile, you feel better...

Effective discipline . . .

If parents want to have an impact on an unacceptable behavior exhibited by a child, it is important to prevent it from happening or interrupt it when it does. Reacting afterward is ineffective, which is why punishment doesn’t work well. If you have a child who has a...

Face-to-face time . . .

The amount of time you spend face to face with your child matters. When you spend time face to face, you are sending the message that you delight in just being together. For your child, there is magic in your eye contact, smile, and voice. You are sending the...

The power in confidence . . .

Power is a human attribute that comes in a number of forms. Confidence is a kind of power that if pinpointed on a negative-positive spectrum would tip toward the positive end. Examples of confidence include standing up for what is right, a willingness to be safely...

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