How parenting with a long-term view can transform behavior

Marcilieconsequences, discipline, Kind and Firm Parenting, Leadership, Letting Go, long term parenting, Parenting w/Positive Discipline, Positive Parenting, ResponsibilityLeave a Comment

While parenting with a long-term view (“long-term parenting”) can completely transform a situation and a relationship, I’ve struggled for years (literally) with how to write about it. I think it might sound a bit boring, and imply that one might not get immediate answers with its practice. Am I right? I imagine readers asking, How will long-term parenting help me … Read More

My child stole his teacher’s brownie. How and what came next…

Marcilieconsequences, discipline, Kind and Firm Parenting, long term parenting, Parenting w/Positive Discipline, Positive Parenting, Problem Solving, Responsibility4 Comments

Chapter 1: Mom Gets Dreaded Phone Call From School I was at work in the middle of the day when my phone began to ring. I looked down and noted the caller’s ID: it was my child’s school. Naturally, my heart began to race, butterflies fluttered in my gut, and my eyes got a bit wider. Do schools know that … Read More

I thought my child was being a brat. So I treated her that way. Oops.

Marcilieconsequences, discipline, Parenting w/Positive Discipline, Positive Parenting2 Comments

I thought my child was being a brat. So I treated her that way. It seemed logical at the time, but my intervention actually invited more bratty behavior. Here’s why . . . “Your explanation of your child’s behavior guides your intervention.”  — Ross Greene I will forever be transformed by having read, “The Explosive Child” by Ross Greene. Poorly … Read More

My struggle to get my child to scoop the freaking litter box – part 2 in a 2-part series on agreements and follow-through

MarcilieChores, consequences, long term parenting, Parenting w/Positive DisciplineLeave a Comment

But we had an agreement! Part II: What to do when kids don’t follow through with agreements (over and over again.) I regularly turned my head when I passed it to avoid the irritation bubbling in my chest. It’s not that it was smelly or even that gross (although sometimes it was both.) It was simply a daily reminder of … Read More

Three Parenting Beliefs that Kill Your Child’s Creativity, Joy, and Potential (and How to Turn Them Around)

Marcilieconsequences, long term parenting, Parenting w/Positive DisciplineLeave a Comment

We all carry beliefs that shape our parenting behavior. Many of these beliefs were formed in early childhood and are deeply lodged into our brains. Some of these beliefs are helpful in our quest to raise kind, compassionate, resilient and responsible children. Some of these beliefs are not. These are killer beliefs because they kill creativity, potential, joy, and relationship. … Read More

When Kids Lie

Marcilieconsequences, discipline, long term parenting, Lying, Parenting w/Positive Discipline, punishment, Uncategorized6 Comments

The topic of lying came up in my parenting class last week. We were role-playing parents’ typical responses to a lying kid: “Honey, did you just lie about that? Are you sure?” (When parent already knows the child is lying) “Are you kidding me? You just lied straight to my face. How COULD you?” “That’s it, no more (fill in … Read More

Struggling to come up with “the right” consequences? Try this!

Marcilieconsequences, discipline, Parenting w/Positive Discipline, punishment4 Comments

Click here for an audio version of this blog: Over the past several months, I have heard some questionable tips from parenting experts on the topic of “consequences.”  What’s surprising to me is that these are parenting experts I respect and agree with most of the time.  But not this time. Here’s an example of one tip that raised my eyebrows:  “The … Read More