Dear Kerry: “Sick of all the Whining”
Dear Kerry, My 12 year old son whines constantly and it drives me absolutely crazy. It’s almost like it’s his default way of speaking. I don’t want to constantly berate him – but I am not sure how to curb the whining? Sick of All the Whining Dear Sick, For better or worse, this seems […]
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 […]
How Many Ways I Can Be Naughty at Bedtime?
Three year old Wes used to play his favorite game at bedtime. It was called, “See how many ways I can be naughty.” He was the only one enjoying the game. His single, working dad certainly did not. Wes was very creative in how he played the game: he ran away when it was time […]
This is Not a Dress Rehearsal
On my kids’ first day of school this year, I first dropped off my high schooler. Gasp. How can I have a kid that old? I always thought being the parent of a high schooler was for grownups! Heck, I remember when I thought that having a child in elementary school was for grownups. As […]
Quick Tips for Dads
1. Speak Your Family’s Love Language Read The Five Love Languages of Children, a quick, interesting book to improve how you express love to your family. Want to know the secret to making sure your child feels loved? Kids desperately need to know how much you love them. But if you don’t know their special […]
Blessings Box
Ten years ago, when my children were young, we began a ritual that the whole family still enjoys today. It all started because I wanted to teach Joshua, then age five, and Joel, then age two, about thankfulness in a way that was more fun and tangible than simply lecturing, “Be thankful.”The idea took shape […]
How Do I Get My Kids To Cooperate?
How can you use the Love and Logic skill of enforceable statements to get kids to cooperate? When kids hear “No,” they hear fighting words. Their defenses come up and the battle starts. So instead of saying “No,” say “Yes” to something else. Say what you’ll do, what you’ll allow, or what you have control over. […]
Kids, Money, Loans
April has been declared National Financial Literacy Month. What a great time to teach your kids about loans! Many parents wonder if it is a good idea to loan money to their children. The authors of Love and Logic® say yes. If your kids will need to know about loans as adults, they need some […]
Positive Reinforcement: Examples and Cautions
If you’ve followed me for any period of time, you know how strongly we believe in holding youngsters accountable for their mistakes and misdeeds. As most of us have learned the hard way, the road to wisdom and responsibility is paved with plenty of small mistakes and their consequences. As we go about shaping the […]
Higher Test Scores
In a study mentioned by Daniel Goleman in his classic book Emotional Intelligence, researchers studied two sets of kids. One group was able to delay gratification, the other satisfied their wants right away. All of the kids had a choice about a tasty marshmallow set before them. When the experimenter left the room, they could […]