Being deeply connected to our children is the key to emotional health, cooperation, influence, and peaceful homes, but staying connected in the hustle and bustle of daily life can be challenging.
Strategies for Behaviour Challenges in the Child aged 2-4 years: A positive response to strong emotions
Preliminary Checklist
- Check for any changes in daily program, environment, family, instigation of punishment/discipline regimes
- Assess child’s sense of connection to primary caregivers. Ie. any exaggerated imprinting behaviours evident; separation anxiety symptoms; tantrums/ sensory meltdowns; has time out been commenced?
Time-Outs, Time-Ins, Rewards Charts, Removing Toys... what works?
As most of us have taken smacking and other forms of corporal punishment out of the parenting tool box, time outs have become the go-to for parents struggling to manage unwanted behaviours.
Psychologist Dr. Vanessa Lapointe, author of parenting book, ‘Discipline without Damage’, argues the science of child neuro-development tells us interventions should “reinforce connection, not separation” between a child and a parent.
10 Ways to Connect with your Child
Being deeply connected to our children is the key to emotional health, cooperation, influence, and peaceful homes, but staying connected in the hustle and bustle of daily life can be challenging. We have to be intentional about our relationships with them now if we want these relationships to flourish for years to come. Here are 10 ways to connect with your child.
Try for Patience & Calm… It’s Actually Not About You
Sibling Rivalry
10 Evidence-based Tips for Handling Childhood Aggression, Defiance and Acting-out…
Psychologists call them ‘externalising behaviours’ - acts of disruption, aggression, defiance, or anti-social intent. Almost every parent has to cope with them at some point, particularly during the toddler years. Young children are still developing the ability to regulate their emotions and impulses, and need to learn what is expected of them.
Adjusting Your Outlook… and become a more confident, effective parent
When Things Get Physical: Hitting, Throwing, Kicking and Biting
Toddlers and preschoolers are still in the early stages of learning to communicate verbally. Add to that the fact that they have little-to-no impulse control and very immature social skills, and you’ve got a recipe for an instinctive physical response (i.e. hitting, kicking, biting, hair pulling, throwing things, etc.) to situations when they are frustrated, angry, excited, scared, or just tired and out-of-sorts.
Ten Tips for Picky Eaters
The Importance of Child's Play
If not punishment, then what?
What is Sensory Processing Disorder?
Take a Moment and Practice Unspoken Love
More often than not, family life feels very complicated. We often wonder if we are doing the right things to make our family members feel loved and supported, and whether or not we are spending our time in the right ways. As parents in particular, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to create a beautiful home-life for our children.
How to Peacefully Teach and Set Clear Limits, Boundaries and Consequences with Your Child
Limits, boundaries and consequences all work together with love and empathy to teach and help our kids perceive and interact with the world in positive ways. In this article I’ll address each concept of limits, boundaries and consequences and some practical ways to understand and use them in positive, peaceful ways.
Preschooler Sleep: How to Win the Battle Without Declaring War
Entering the three and four year old life stage and the behaviours it may bring swings rapidly from exciting to confusing even when there are no sleep challenges or overtiredness. However, an overtired preschooler swings more frequently and often more dramatically, and can be more difficult to parent than a well-slept one.
What To Do When Your Child Won’t Listen
One of the most common requests I get from parents is, "I've tried everything and my child still won't listen. What can I do?" There are several factors involved in a child's willingness to cooperate. A child not doing what she is told is less about "not listening" and more about how able she feels to do what you want her to do.
