An abbreviated version of the popular 8-Weeks to Positive Discipline Series is now on YouTube Intro Introduction to positive discipline Outline Week 1 1.1 Role of emotions and “I” messages 1.2 Giving children empathy week 1 outline Week 2 2.1 Positive Intent2.2 Positive Directions2.3 Descriptive v. Evaluative Praise week 2 outline Week 3 3.1 Choices, … Continue reading 8-Week Positive Discipline Series
Many parents assume that learning the language of positive discipline is a difficult task. When really, it’s not that hard. Good preschool and elementary school teachers are in and out of this language all day long. It’s like learning any new set of language rules; take a new job and you are likely learning new … Continue reading Positive Discipline Language: It’s Easier Than You Think
Charting behaviors like tantrums or aggression is often done by teachers in the classroom, so they can quickly gain a better understanding of what is happening. It is something parents can easily do at home. Charting means keeping detailed and consistent notes about the behavior. If a child were tantruming often in my classroom or … Continue reading How Charting Behaviors Helps: Tantrums and Aggression
I am a firm believer in the steps of positive discipline as a framework for effectively managing most discipline exchanges. An active step is offering your child choices about how, when or where they can do the behavior you want them to do. If you want them to put on a coat you might offer, … Continue reading Finding a Balance in Offering Children Choices
I teach parenting workshops on positive discipline often. At least weekly, I am reviewing the language of I messages, empathy, positive intent, choices and natural and logical consequences. This language is meant to provide parents with a framework for managing children’s behaviors in the moment. It is a flexible and effective approach for shaping behaviors … Continue reading Coaching: Encouraging Behavior Change a Few Minutes at a Time
There are lots of ways to connect with me and have your parenting questions answered. Submit parenting questions to this blog – You are welcome to email your parenting questions to blog@parentingplaygroups.com. I often answer parents’ questions and posts them to http://www.parentingbydrrene.com. Ask shorter questions on facebook – You can join a parenting chat on … Continue reading 6 Ways to Ask Dr. Rene Your Parenting Questions
Absolutely yes! When most parents think about time-out, it’s often sending the child to their room or having the child sit out of play for a few minutes. When I discuss time-outs in the last hour of our positive discipline series, I often get a question about the use of a mommy time-out. The parent … Continue reading Is It Okay to Take a Mommy Time-Out?
Before the discipline, here’s a link to a previous post about ways to enjoy grocery shopping with your kids by age: https://parentingbydrrene.com/2013/06/02/successful-grocery-shopping-with-children/ Discipline Scenario: Your three-year-old wants to walk at the grocery store, but repeatedly pulls things off the shelf onto the floor. Proactive discipline techniques: Positive directions – This is a reminder to tell … Continue reading Steps of Positive Discipline : A Grocery Store Example
In my workshops, I teach the steps of positive discipline. This language includes the flexible use of I messages, empathy, positive intent, choices and consequences to best manage behaviors. This framework is meant to guide parents through addressing emotions while curbing behaviors. If you want to learn more about these steps, you can search “steps” or “discipline” on … Continue reading Ways to Avoid Discipline with Your Children
This seems like a small tip, but it can have a big impact. So often when I hear parents correcting their child’s unpleasant tone, they say, “stop whining,” or, “no whining,” or, “I can’t hear that whiney voice!” If anything, this reminds the child to whine. The golden rule here is, ‘what you focus on, … Continue reading Whining? Focus on the Positive
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