Do your kids stress you out? Do you find yourself becoming anxious when you think about their behavior, and how it might impact their future? Do your children know how to “push your buttons” and draw you into an argument? If so, you're not alone! While parenting has its rewards and joys, it can also be exhausting, frustrating and challenging. Many parents wish they could have a peaceful home with less conflict and more understanding. What's the most effective way to learn how to be a calm parent? Believe it or not, it starts with focusing more on yourself and less on your kids. You have the most control over yourself and your response to a given situation. Learn positive parenting tips and calm parenting techniques with these popular articles: Calm Parenting: How to Get Control When Your Child is Making You Angry Worried Sick About Your Child's Future? How to Stop the Anxiety Losing Your Temper with Your Child? 8 Steps to Help You Stay in Control
“My son is a smart kid, but he doesn’t work hard in school. Now the teacher said he’s in danger of getting F’s in most of his subjects.” “My daughter just does enough to get by, instead of trying her best. When I talk to her about how important it is to get good grades in... Read more »
Do you have an adult child living at home who’s driving you crazy in one way or another? Do they seem unable to do chores around the house, contribute financially, or be respectful? In recent years, because of the economy and lack of jobs, the old expectation that kids will move on and out of... Read more »
There’s a wonderful, special role that grandparents get to play within the family. Part of that role says that they have an extra bit of leeway with the grandkids—they might take them for ice cream or let them stay up a bit later when they visit, for example. Ideally, grandparents make... Read more »
A child’s disrespectful behavior can be a parent’s greatest “button-pusher.” A dad recently shared his frustration about his 14-year-old daughter’s disrespect: “I told her she couldn’t go to a party until her room was picked up – it’s an absolute mess – and she just exploded. She yelled, told me she hated me and slammed... Read more »
“My kids are driving me crazy! They are so manipulative I can’t stand it!” Does this sound familiar? "My middle schooler blackmails me emotionally – he cries that I 'don’t care about him and love his brother more' when I ask him to stop playing his video games. It's true that he's a more difficult kid,... Read more »
We all know that kids can act in many disrespectful and rude ways to parents: they can slam doors, roll their eyes, and tell you they hate you, to name a few. It’s natural to get very worried and frustrated and wonder if these types of behaviors constitute out-and-out abuse, or just “rudeness and mild... Read more »
Why is it so easy to go from “zero to 60” when our kids make us angry? There are many reasons, but I think it’s mainly because we allow ourselves to go to 60. And in a sense, when we get up to 60—when we react emotionally—we’re allowing the behavior of our kids to determine... Read more »
Let’s face it, “No” gets a reaction. Kids thrive on the connection they have with you, and if a child is always negative, they will usually get a reaction from their parents. As odd as it sounds, sometimes the negativity spewing from your child’s lips is not meant to sound as bad as it does.... Read more »
Calm Parenting—most of us aspire to it, desire it, and even promise ourselves we’re going to do it—but it’s so difficult to sustain. We know how important it is to parent from our principles rather than from our fears, but despite our best intentions we lose it and end up yelling at those we love... Read more »
What’s one of the keys to avoiding constant fights with your child? Believe it or not, it’s the same skill that will help you through any crisis situation—your ability to remain calm. When your child is upset, anxious or angry, keeping your cool is half the battle. It’s a way for you to put out... Read more »