This One Thought Is Making Parenting Harder Than It Has to Be
When our kids misbehave—and they will—we often get understandably angry. We’re frustrated. Annoyed. Exhausted. And in those moments, our inner dialogue gets loud. I know mine did. I’ve thought (and sometimes said): “He is doing this to bother me.” “She always does this to get what she wants.” “Why are they always ignoring me?” “They […]
This One Parenting Shift Changes Everything How Assigning Positive Intent Reduces Power Struggles and Builds Cooperation
“When you learn to attribute positive intent to other people, you possess a powerful skill. It is the skill you need to transform opposition into cooperation.”— Becky Bailey, Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline We all do it—often without even realizing it. We look at our child’s behavior and quietly (or not so quietly) label […]
What to Say Instead of “Good Job” (And Why It Matters)
We all want to praise our children. We want them to feel confident, capable, and good about who they are. But here’s the part that surprises many parents: not all praise actually builds self-esteem. In fact, research shows that the kind of praise we use most often “Good job!” “You’re the best!” “You’re so sweet!” […]