Solve your child’s behavior problem before it happens

MarcilieUncategorizedLeave a Comment

As most of you know, I teach Parenting with Positive Discipline classes in a live and virtual classroom setting. In almost all cases, parents in my classes are quite focused on what to do “in the moment” of non-compliance, or back-talk, or any other kind of “misbehavior.” They’re asking questions like these: “What do I do when my child is … Read More

Don’t Back-Talk Back: How Parents Unwittingly Invite Power Struggles and Defiance, and What to Do Instead

Marciliediscipline, Holidays, Setting Limits2 Comments

If your child is more than six months old, it’s a sure thing that you’ve experienced defiance or a power struggle. Back-talk and attitude generally come later; but once again, these are behaviors all parents have seen at one time or another, if not many times a day. Several years ago, at the airport, I overheard a mother and her … Read More

Trusting your parenting intuition could be a really good thing — especially if you help it along

Marciliediscipline, Leadership, long term parenting, Parenting Intuition, Parenting w/Positive Discipline, Positive ParentingLeave a Comment

Many years ago, my mother-in-law told me that I was reading too many books about parenting. She said that I should trust my parenting intuition, because the right answers would just come to me. Her vote of confidence felt lovely…and yet, later that night, what “came to me” was a yelling match when my daughter refused to pick up her … Read More

Scripts to hold limits firmly but not sternly (with kindness and firmness at the same time)

MarcilieAuthoritative Parenting Style, discipline, Empathy, Kind and Firm Parenting, Parenting Styles, Parenting w/Positive Discipline, Positive Parenting, Setting LimitsLeave a Comment

  The idea of parenting with kindness and firmness at the same time sounded so appealing when I first heard it. But I still struggled:  what does kind and firm parenting look like, in the moment, when my child is driving me crazy and we have to get out the door? How do I hold limits firmly, but not sternly? … Read More

17 Things You Can Do When Siblings Fight

MarcilieSibling FightingLeave a Comment

positive parenting sibling fighting

With summer approaching, the regular morning and evening routines shift or get lost entirely, and siblings have more time together both at home and on vacation. That together time can be joyful and lovely. It can also mean more opportunities for sibling conflict. Parents often ask me, “What can I do when one child is wailing on the other?” I’ve … Read More

One way to get kids to take responsibility for their messes

MarcilieChores, discipline, Parenting w/Positive Discipline, Positive Parenting, Problem Solving, Responsibility6 Comments

Wouldn’t it be nice if children would take responsibility for cleaning up after themselves? It seems like such a basic thing; however, if you walk around my house on any given day, you might find: Dried up food bowls in the family room Cheap knick knacks from a birthday party goody bag Little bits of cut up paper, scissors and … Read More

Mom Drops the F-Bomb on Unsuspecting Son

MarciliePositive Parenting13 Comments

Wow! Sometimes I shock even myself with my behavior. A few days before Christmas was one of those times. If mistakes are opportunities to learn (and I truly believe they are), then this was a BIG opportunity. The holidays can often bring up extra emotion and stress, but this year, I thought I had a handle on it. I consciously … Read More

Four ways to say “no” without actually saying, “NO!”

MarcilieUncategorizedLeave a Comment

Four ways to say NO without saying NO! Re-directing away from the negative and toward the positive has always been a big part of Positive Discipline. An interesting article from Psychology Today provides yet more evidence as to why: Every time the brain hears or sees a negative word or image, dozens of stress-producing hormones and neurotransmitters are released. “If you vocalize your … Read More