Posts by admin (Page 14)

• • • • • Parenting Tip April 17, 2013 Kids Struggle in Different Ways Some children struggle with things externally, acting out, getting in trouble at school or with the law, and disobeying their parents. Through these actions they often learn valuable life lessons. It’s not the best way to learn, and the experiences they face are often unforgiving and painful. Other children may conform to the rules outwardly, but inside they’re wrestling just as fervently—and significantly—as the outwardly…

• • • • • Parenting Tip April 12, 2013 Teaching Through Decision Making Families make decisions and solve problems on a daily basis. Parents must make some decisions, and in those cases children need to learn to follow. At other times parents can involve children and help them make wise choices. Money, for example, provides opportunities for children to make decisions. Parents can teach children how to save, be generous, and plan for purchases. In one family, Kari, age…

• • • • • Parenting Tip April 3, 2013 Is there a Difference Between Honor and Respect? When families think about honor, they often restrict their thinking to respectful behavior, being polite, courteous, and having good manners. This is a rather narrow understanding and is only a small portion of what honor actually is. Respectful behavior, although a subset of honor, is incomplete in and of itself. Susie learned manners at an early age. “What a nice girl,” people…

• • • • • Parenting Tip March 27, 2013  Helping Children Take Responsibility – Part 2 During a discipline time, asking your children, “What did you do wrong?” can help them learn to take responsibility for their actions. Sometimes children don’t even know what they did wrong. You may have to tell your child, but don’t just say it and have your child agree, actually have the child repeat back to you what was wrong and take responsibility for…

• • • • • Parenting Tip March 16, 2013 Patterns in Family Life A busy father comes home from work hoping to relax with his wife and enjoy his children. Instead, he walks into a land mine of relational issues. Children are bickering and Mom is frazzled. Even the dog has retreated to a quieter room in the house. Likewise, a mom comes home from work wanting to share a couple of interesting stories with her family only to…

• • • • • Parenting Tip March 13, 2013  Be a Coach to Your Children  I’m sure that as you look around you see other families who have rather interesting relationships with their kids. Some parents seem to have a boss/servant relationship with their children, as if the parents own their kids. They order them around as if they were slaves, being demanding about obedience and respect. Others act like a policeman allowing children to do anything they want…

• • • • • Parenting Tip March 9, 2013 A Clear Warning  One of the tools of discipline is a clear warning. It can actually be a teaching tool because it helps children know how to anticipate consequences of their actions. Furthermore a clear warning clarifies for your children that what you have said wasn’t just a suggestion, but that you meant business. When you give a warning, it’s important to obtain eye contact, speak calmly but firmly, and…

• • • • • Parenting Tip February 28, 2013  Giving Instructions Clearly  We’ve all found ourselves in situations where adults are supervising children. Some adults have the ability to command attention and get children to listen better than others. All they use is what we call a Firm Instruction, a very important part of the discipline process. A Firm Instruction is quite useful whether you’re working with your own children or someone else’s. Good discipline doesn’t just mean finding…

• • • • • Parenting Tip February 18, 2013  “But My Anger is Justified” Some view their anger as justified because they are right and others are wrong. They believe that being right is the only ticket required to launch into an adult temper tantrum. But saying “He made me angry” implies that external events require emotional intensity. The dad who links the trigger (what “made” him angry) and response (what he does with his anger) too closely ends…

• • • • • Parenting Tip February 13, 2013 Understanding Anger’s Five Causes Some parents have a hard time analyzing their anger to get anything positive out of it. A helpful way to uncover what’s behind your anger is to recognize anger’s five basic causes. These five causes overlap at points and you may find that the situation you’re experiencing fits more than one, but this list is often helpful to bring some rationale to feelings. Use these causes…