Ideas for Charging Parent’s Energy

    Question: I need some ideas on what to have my five year old son do to “recharge my energy”  — Noelle   Answer: Energy Charging Chores: water plants, windex windows,  pick up sticks, Energy Charging Rest and Relaxation: foot/back rubs, no TV night so mom can rest in quiet, pay for sitter with toys [...]

Help! My Child Bangs His Head When Disciplined?

Question: I would appreciate any input regarding a 21 month old boy who bangs his own head often when frustrated or being disciplined. I use “Uh-oh” but picking him up is the usual end of it. (If I don’t pick him up he does more and more.) I feel he is getting his way because [...]

Batman versus Spiderman

This is too funny not to share.  I have been using “I love you too much to argue with you” with my almost 4 year old son.  Last night I was doing dishes and listening to my son have an epic battle between Batman and Spiderman.  There were lots of sound effects and crashes and [...]

Teaching Children To Be More Humble

Question: Any thoughts on teaching children to be a little more humble? – Amy    Answer: Try using the Love and Logic skill called Eaves Drop Value Setting.  Set up a conversation between you and your spouse or a friend and have your kids within earshot.  Discuss a time  when you weren’t humble. What happened and [...]

Consequence: Give Kids a Chance to Problem Solve

Sometimes the best consequence for a problem is just to “hand it back” to them.  Read how well this mom used the skill with her daughter. The girls and I had gotten out our seasonal clothes in preparation of going to a Fall Festival.  A bit later, my 7 year old came to me and said [...]

I Should Have Eaten My Dinner

Another success story shared about how kids learn best from Empathy and Experience. My 3 year old daughter is a fussy eater.  We told her, ” You need to take 3 more bites.” She said “No” and tried to manipulate us into feeding her, changing our minds, changing food… We decided to use our new Love and [...]

Help! My 9 yr old Quits Every Sport

  Question:  I have a nine year old who wants to quit every sport we try.  In 5 years we have tried 6 sports.  When they get hard or he isn’t great at it, he wants to quit.  He is now trying gymnastics, with the potential to be very good at it.  He is ready [...]

My Child Doesn’t Care About the Consequence

Question: Is it better to have the same consequence for a certain bad choice, or to switch things up?  I always hear “consistency, consistency, consistency”.  For example, if my 5 year old does not help during “tidy time” before bed, he gets no books read to him.  There are some nights where he doesn’t care [...]

Shopping Tantrums – “I Want That Toy”

This was posted as a comment to my “I want the big cookie” success story, but I had to highlight this success story as it again shows me how amazing our kids are in their respond when we can CALMLY hold a limit FIRM. I had a very similar experience at Kohls not too long [...]

How Do You Punish One Kid Without Punishing the Whole Group?

Question: Hi! I need some ideas of how to deal with one kid misbehaving and another kid following the rules. For example, I have no problem walking out of a movie or leaving a party because of a misbehaving kid. But often times, my son (age 6 almost 7) will be just awful and my [...]

What’s a Consequence for Hitting?

Question: Wondering if anyone has any ideas for natural consequences for hitting? My 4 year old boy’s most common offense is hitting his twin sister. He kind of enjoys time out in his room, and if I’m doing something like making dinner, it’s hard to fully separate them. Any thoughts would be appreciated.   Answer: [...]

What to do When Your Child Loses Her Glasses?

Question: My 6 1/2 year old lost her glasses and certainly can’t afford to replace them. Help!   Answer: Respond with empathy and hand the problem back. ” This is so sad, you lost your glasses, what are you going to do to replace them?” Empathy keeps her from getting defensive and to start blaming others for [...]

How to Teach Your Child to Calm Down

The Uh Oh Song is a consequence skill that I teach from the Love and Logic program.  It’s based on teaching kids how to calm down.  Read how this mom successfully used this skill for her strong-willed 4 year old, and if you want to learn more, schedule your Free Parent Tuneup phone consultation by clicking here. My [...]

Easing Separation Anxiety

I am often asked, “How do I help my child feel less anxious about going to daycare, preschool or the babysitter?” If you have kids, the odds are pretty high that you’ve pondered this question and wondered what to do. Listed below are some quick tips: • Remember that kids take their emotional cues from the [...]

Mommy, I Like Your New Rules!

I decided to try the Love and Logic’s  “Uh Oh Song”  that I learn in class.  I came home and told my 4 year old   daughter that we were implementing some new rules in the house.  Soon after she misbehaved and I sang, “Uh Oh, so sad, looks like you need a little quiet time [...]

Would You Like

Would you like your life as a parent to be complicated? Would you like to live in a constant state of confusion and anxiety? Would you like to feel unsure about how to deal with the problems your children create? Would you like to frequently think to yourself something like, “Oh, no. Now what do [...]

“I kept trying and I did it!”

My 3 year old son was struggling with a Buzz Lightyear puzzle.  It was one that didn’t stay together well and putting in one piece would dislodge another.  He’d get frustrated, but I had just read a Love and Logic article about the gift of  giving our kids a chance to struggle.   I said “Keep at [...]

How Enforceable Statements Work for Picking Up Toys!

Thank you Megan for sharing this success story about using “I will”  enforceable statements…… I needed my 2.5 yr old daughter to pick up her toys.  She ignored me so I said “I only read stories to girls who pick up their toys.”  She still didn’t do it and got distracted putting on dress up gloves. [...]

How to Stay Calm When Your Kid Says, “I Hate You!”

Amy shares how using her new parenting skills were effective in dealing with her son…. My 12 year old son, Matthew, had been treating his younger sister poorly by ignoring her and talking down to her.  After setting a limit on his behavior, I had to send him to his room.   I used my empathy [...]

Setting Limits for Bathtime

Kudos to this mom who used the empathy and brain dead  skills to enforce the limit of “bath water stays in the tub.”  After our son threw water out of the bathtub I said, “What a bummer.  It’s going to take a while to clean up the water so we won’t have time for books [...]

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