What To Do If Your Teen is Taking 45 Minute Showers

My teenage daughter was taking 45 minute showers.  I’d yell and scream at her that she was wasting water.  I’d lecture that her showers were too long but nothing deterred her. Finally, I decided to replace action with threats and said “Sweetie, you get 15 minutes to shower and then I’m turning off the hot water.” […]

“I Want What’s On TV!”

 My 4-year-old son wants everything he sees on TV so the other day when he said “Mom, I want that!”  I used my “brain dead skills” and replied, “I know.”   He finally stopped asking after 4-5 times of me saying “I know.” Then Daddy came home from work and my son looked at his […]

This Little Song Stops My Toddler in Her Tracks!

Dear Kerry, We used to have 5 tantrums a day with my 2 1/2 year old little girl.  After switching from time-outs to  the Love and Logic’s “Uh Oh Song” we maybe have one a day. The best part is that now that I can redirect her behavior with just the words “Uh Oh.”  It was […]

I’m Running Away!

The other night my 7 year old son kept trying to argue about something.  I used my new Love and Logic skill of not engaging and calmly replied “I know.” He ended with “What is wrong with you!!” I replied again, “I know.” He yelled “Ugh!” and ran off. The next morning he comes down […]

Success Story: I Didn’t Say “Good Work”

My 3 year old son was struggling with a Buzz Lightyear puzzle.  It was one that didn’t stay together well and putting in one piece would dislodge another.  He’d get frustrated, but I had just read a Love and Logic article about the gift of giving our kids a chance to struggle. I said “Keep at […]

Success Story: I Want It!

After leaving our first Love and Logic class we picked up our kids from childcare.  We got some animal crackers from the vending machine and were on our way to the car.  Our 5 year old ran ahead of us and we asked her to come back several times.  She ignored us. When I was buckling […]

Setting Limits for Bathtime

After our son threw water out of the bathtub I said, “What a bummer.  It’s going to take a while to clean up the water so we won’t have time for books tonight.” He was devastated, but helped me clean up.  He kept crying to read books and I used my brain dead statement and […]

Success Story: “I’m Not Going to Kiss You Anymore”

We always discuss in class about kids who will escalate to test the new skills mom and dad are using.  It’s the old “short term pain for long term gain” adage. This mom thought it would be something only older kids would do, but preschoolers know how to escalate with hurtful words too. Luckily, this […]

Success Story! Love and Logic Works with 3 Year Olds

This mom shares her success story using the  brain dead statement “I know” over and over again….. My 3 year old didn’t want any of the two choices I gave him for breakfast, so I picked one for him.  He was not happy and kept throwing a fit.   I empathetically used “I know” about six or […]

Does That Mean “NO”?

Here is a story of a mom in my class who learned a new skill to not engage in a battle with kids when they’re protesting a limit. That skill is called going “brain dead.” This works with kids of all ages. See what happens when she uses it to neutralize the “buy it for […]