From the category archives:

Gentle Discipline

Gentle Discipline for Toddlers: Biting, Hitting and Impulse Control

January 25, 2011

We’ve entered the toddler stage that many parents dread: biting and hitting. It’s definitely not a fun thing to deal with, but it’s really common. Biting and hitting in toddlers is due to two big things going on in their development: an increase in independence combined with a lack of impulse control. Toddlers now understand [...]

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Resource Review Thursday: Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman

December 9, 2010

In an age of widespread divorce and troubled kids, many parents want to make sure they raise emotionally healthy, connected children but don’t know how to do that. John Gottman, Ph.D. has synthesized the results of years of academic research and parenting to produce a guide to the emotional health and well-being of children, Raising An [...]

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Can Chores Help Children be Better Behaved?

October 19, 2010

I had something of an epiphany this past week. Beatrice had been growing increasingly bored with playing either on her own or with Claire, and this boredom was expressing itself as the usual suspects: poking her sister, squawking at me, refusing to share. I wasn’t sure what I could do about this. With an 18 [...]

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Resource Review Thursday: Raising Your Spirited Child

October 14, 2010

Do you watch other children at playgroups or in the schoolyard and wonder, “why is my child so different from those other kids?” If your child seems like “more”, it is possible he has a certain temperament that makes him a spirited child. What is a Spirited Child? A spirited child is one who is [...]

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I Don’t Love You, Mama

September 11, 2010

Since we went camping a couple of weeks ago, Beatrice has been figuring out how our emotions change the way we interact with each other. At one point during the camping trip she declared, “I don’t love you, Mama. I love Daddy because he gives me what I want.” Ouch. And, OUCH! I knew it [...]

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Peace, Compassion and Parenting Advocacy

September 3, 2010

It’s an uncomfortable situation, and one that I’ve found myself in on more than one occasion. A parent nearby is parenting their child in a way that makes you cringe. Perhaps it’s the parent’s raised voice, the “You are making me…” statements, or the ineffective threats and bribes. Maybe it’s a parent leaving their baby [...]

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Resource Review Thursday: Beyond Time Out

August 5, 2010

When I picked up Beyond Time Out [Sterling, 2008] from the library to read and review it, I had no idea what it was going to be about. I certainly had no idea where it would lead me in exploring what it means to have healthy power in a parent/child relationship. As I wrote earlier, [...]

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Resource Review Thursday: Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves

July 29, 2010

It’s a moment every parent eventually faces: your sweet infant develops to the point where they are able to do something that drives you bananas, and as you shout, “Stop that!” you hear your own parent’s voice coming from your mouth. Parenting is difficult work, and most parents only have skills passed on to them [...]

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Resource Review Thursday: Review of Playful Parenting

July 22, 2010

Play is an important part of a child’s life, which children use to explore and make sense of the world around them. When parents join their children in the world of play, they foster a strong emotional connection with their child. What is Playful Parenting? According to Lawrence J. Cohen, author of Playful Parenting [Ballantine Books, [...]

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Power, Parenting and Gentle Discipline

July 18, 2010

I have recently started reading Beyond Time Out by Beth Grosshans, Ph.D. From the very start of her book Grosshans is absolutely clear that she believes many (if not all) of children’s behavioural problems are related to an Imbalance of Family Power. She says this is partly due to the emergence of parenting books and [...]

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Resource Review Thursday: The Gifts of Imperfect Parenting Audio CDs

July 15, 2010

What does it mean to be a “good parent”? How can you teach your children to be brave, strong, healthy people when you don’t always feel that way yourself? The Gifts of Imperfect Parenting Audio CD can help you begin to answer those questions and work towards being a brave, strong and healthy parent for your [...]

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Not All Kids Love Sticker Charts

June 29, 2010

It’s become one of the ubiquitous symbols of modern childhood: the sticker chart. Kids have reward charts at home, at school, at daycare and preschool and, as we discovered last week, at the public library. When we staggered up to the checkout desk with our books, the librarian suggested that Beatrice sign up for the [...]

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Parenting with a Professional, Intentional Schedule

June 24, 2010

I just finished reading Steady Days by Jamie C. Martin, and I’m thinking about what it means to be an organized, intentional mom. What kind of schedule do I want my kids and I to have? What do I want to plan out and where can I leave things unscheduled? What is realistic to expect [...]

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