by Susie Windle | Dec 3, 2014 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Sensory Information
The holiday season is here, and it is often during this time that one personality trait stands out—perfectionism. The holidays are the time of year that seems to bring out the desire for everything to be “perfect”—creating the perfect meal, planning the perfect family...
by Susie Windle | Sep 17, 2014 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Your Child's Brain
Knowing your child while he or she is growing is important as you practice parenting. Each child is his or her own little being, and each child will go through developmental stages differently. Effectively providing discipline will be easier if you keep this in mind....
by Susie Windle | Aug 6, 2014 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Sensory Information, The Importance of Emotions, Your Child's Brain
For many reasons, parents want to believe they can control their child’s toilet training. Some parents feel pressure from friends and family to get started while others simply want a break from smelly laundry and the cost of disposable diapers. However, it is a good...
by Susie Windle | Apr 23, 2014 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Your Child's Brain
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...
by Susie Windle | Mar 19, 2014 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, The Power of Play, Your Child's Brain
At times, a child’s challenging behaviors are fueled by his or her need for emotional contact with you, rather than a desire for attention. The need for emotional contact is genetically programmed, so if a child feels that connection is lost, he or she may act...
by Susie Windle | Feb 26, 2014 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Your Child's Brain
We all have to wait from time to time—in supermarket lines and traffic, at restaurants and doctors’ offices—and sometimes we must wait with our children. Successfully managing waiting time with a young child starts with adjusting everyone’s expectations—yours and your...
by Susie Windle | Oct 9, 2013 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, Your Child's Brain
Whining, that fussy tone of voice between talking and crying, is commonly heard from toddlers, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a spoiled child. Often, children whine when they can’t truly express their feelings. You are most likely to hear whining when...
by Susie Windle | Aug 28, 2013 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, The Power of Play
Every child, even an only child, has the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that are commonly associated with the catchphrase “sibling rivalry.” If you look underneath the conflicts that go along with sibling rivalry, you will usually find questions: Am I truly and...
by Susie Windle | Aug 21, 2013 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills
Having clear family rules about fighting that hurts is important. A good place to set these rules is at a family meeting. Family meetings model communication with words, not fists. Working out problems through talking rather than physical fighting is supported by...
by Susie Windle | Apr 24, 2013 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills
When we try to describe a child’s temperament, we are inclined to look at the “how” of behaviors—how intense, moody, adaptable, and predictable the child tends to be. Because temperament is about tendencies, temperament is malleable to some degree, and parents play a...
