Do you ever wonder if you're giving the right consequences? Perhaps you don't feel like it's having an effect on your child's behavior. And are natural consequences for children always the best thing? Parenting strategies that explain the right way to give consequences to your child and teen—and the importance of giving rewards.
Every parent's goal should be to teach and coach their child to better behavior. And the most effective way to change your child's behavior—and assert your parental authority—is through clear and consistent consequences that are tied to that behavior. When your child acts out or breaks the rules, it's normal to feel your authority as a... Read more »
Do you feel stuck in a cycle with your child where his behavior isn’t changing—and might actually be getting worse? Many parents think that simply giving consequences should be enough to fix misbehavior. These same parents often end up feeling defeated and are left wondering why the consequences didn’t work. In this two-part series, Sara... Read more »
Ever wonder why your child continues to misbehave, no matter what you do? You may be skipping some critical steps in parenting. Don’t miss part two of our series on why consequences alone aren’t enough to change your child’s behavior. There’s no such thing as a perfect consequence that will make your child’s behavior “magically” change.... Read more »
A consequence is something that follows naturally from a person’s action, inaction or poor decision. It differs from a punishment in that a punishment is retribution. Punishment is “getting back” at someone, to hurt them back for a hurt they did. When you get a speeding ticket, it’s not a retribution for something you did... Read more »
Do you ever feel like the consequences you give your child aren’t working—and that he’s just not listening? Giving consequences is more difficult than people realize sometimes, so don’t beat yourself up if you feel like you’ve been missing the mark. There’s really no perfect way to do it—some consequences are simply more effective than... Read more »
Watching your child fail makes you feel helpless, angry and sad. You worry about everything from your child’s self-esteem and social development to their future success. In this article, James Lehman explains that while it’s natural for parents to worry about failure, there are times when it can be productive for kids—and a chance for... Read more »
Many parents wonder what the difference is between a bribe and a reward. After all, in both instances, your child is getting something for doing what you want him to do. But when is this helpful in teaching him better behavior, and when is it harmful? parent coach, Erin Schlicher explains. “I’ll give you an Xbox if... Read more »
Let’s face it, we all have things we don’t want to do, and we put them off until the last possible moment. Paperwork. House-cleaning. Those things that need to get done whether we really want to do them or not. It’s normal for grown-ups to choose fun things over required tasks –and it’s normal for... Read more »
“My 14-year-old son is late for everything. It’s always, “In a minute,” or “I’m almost ready.” He’s not a bad kid, but he just doesn’t seem to understand that there are people waiting for him. The last straw was when he made us miss the beginning of our daughter’s high school play recently, even though... Read more »
