A recipe for mutual respect and cooperation: Children learn what they are living. Children who are treated with respect by their parents reciprocate that respect. Just as they are listened to, they also listen to others. When they are shown consideration, they in turn, show consideration for others. Cooperate with one another. When parents cooperate... Continue Reading →
curious george…
We have a copy of the book Curious George. It was gifted to us; we did not purchase it. I've always really disliked the book (and the entire series in general). Then one night, as I read it to my children, I had a very different thought about it. Could the author have actually been commenting... Continue Reading →
take time to listen…
As parents, we sometimes get wrapped up in the management side of life - making certain everyone has clean clothes available, food, running errands, cleaning house, etc. I find that when I start to shift more to managing life rather than living life, I tend to miss out on a lot of things. When my third... Continue Reading →
parent effectiveness training…
Dr. Thomas Gordon, a nobel peace prize nominee, was a pioneer in effective communication skills and conflict resolution. The licensed clinical psychologist wrote several books, numerous articles, and ran effective training courses to help individuals learn to better communicate and solve conflicts between one another. Gordon Model techniques are known world-wide. Gordon revolutionalized the world... Continue Reading →
focusing on our children…
This post is part of the 2010 API Principles of Parenting blog carnival, a series of monthly parenting blog carnivals, hosted by API Speaks. Learn more about attachment parenting by visiting the API website. My husband's grandmother was visiting last January. She had been staying with my in-laws, and my children and I drove 45... Continue Reading →
it’s not about you, it’s about me…
I often hear from AP (attachment parenting) parents that they feel judged by mainstream parents. It's as if the very fact that they have chosen different things for their family is an affront to those who have made more mainstream choices, regardless what those choices are or why they were made. It's a common complaint,... Continue Reading →
self-defeating parenting behavior…
You've heard the phrase "Two wrongs don't make a right." This is especially true with parenting. Not only are certain behaviors self-defeating, but they increase the gap between us and our children rather than building connection so that we can help them. While threats may sometimes seem to work in the short term, they tend to... Continue Reading →
respectful parents, respectful kids…
Respectful Parents, Respectful Kids: 7 Keys to Turn Family Conflict Into Co-operation by Sura Hart and Victoria Hodson is an asset to any family striving to live in a consensual manner. The concepts and techniques in the book stay true to the concepts of nonviolent communication. Parents new to the idea of consensual living will find... Continue Reading →
voice and choice…
Allowing children a voice and choice in matters that affect them fosters responsibility. There will be some times when a parent needs to step in, having more experience or knowledge about a topic. You wouldn't let your child learn about cars by running out in the road and being hit by one. However, children are... Continue Reading →
punitive discipline…
The problem with punitive discipline is that while it may appear to stop specific behaviors, it does not address the underlying cause of the behavior and therefore does not resolve the true conflict. Working with your child to address the true cause of the conflict and come up with possible solutions allows your child to... Continue Reading →
living peacefully with children 