unnecessarywisdom
Positive discipline
Alternatives to Spanking for Common Toddler Behavior Problems
I’ve noticed that most parents who spank really don’t want to. They feel that they must spank their child in order to achieve proper behavior, teach a lesson or just in general, produce a good citizen. There seems to be a general frustration among many parents in simply not knowing what else to do when … Continue reading
How I Know For a Fact That Children Are Not Morons
I’m still surprised and dismayed at the many articles and discourse I see online discussing whether or not children are just immature, sneaky, manipulative little creatures who require extensive breaking to become sufficiently molded to adapt to the human world. I’ve always operated on the concept that my kids are legitimate humans with real souls … Continue reading
How Attachment Parenting Produces Independent Kids
Children are in our care for a limited amount of time generally spanning two decades. During that time, their needs change drastically, yet gradually from year to year. I’ve always found it odd that the principles of attachment parenting are criticized as promoting dependence in children when, if you analyze the proper development of independence … Continue reading
Kid Confessions: But Daddy Never Says “No”
I hate telling my kids, “No.” I hate to see the disappointment. I hate the arguments. I hate the frustration. But, I do it anyway. “No,” is a necessary part of life, part of my job as a mother, and one of the words I use to establish limits and boundaries. I’ve always been extremely … Continue reading
Respect and Discipline: Can You Really Have Both?
I spent half my childhood in a home that practiced corporal punishment. My parents believed that children needed to be trained to be obedient and conform to expectations of the adult world. They also believed that bad behavior was a result of a sinful nature and they aggressively attempted to curb these supposed tendencies. I … Continue reading
Beyond the Labels: Parenting with Respect
There are a lot of parenting theories swirling around right now. I’ve found that I can relate to many of them and sort of fit with some of them. But I don’t really belong to any of them. I never found a group and followed along. And in searching for how or why I came … Continue reading
Toddlers Are Not Crazy: How to Beat Tantrums
Tell me if this sounds familiar. You’re in the middle of the grocery store and your cart is half-full. Suddenly, your 2-year-old decides that she wants a big box of candy that you are not going to get her. You kindly tell her no. She throws herself on the floor, screaming like you have just … Continue reading
The Writing on the Wall: Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say
By the time my oldest son was born, I was pretty convinced that I was going to be the best parent ever to walk the face of the earth. I had already worked with children for over a decade and acquired a comprehensive skill set and knowledge base. I was very smug. I really knew … Continue reading
Oh Yeah? Well, You’re a B*$@#!
Says your four-year-old. That’s right, your four-year-old. If this hasn’t happened to you yet, it will. At some point during their childhood, most kids will decide to try out a swear word or two. If you’re lucky, they’ll do it at home and not at school or a friend’s house. The next question is, what … Continue reading
Stop Saying “No”: Setting Your Toddler up for Success
Toddlers have earned themselves a pretty bad reputation for being impulsive, oppositional and temperamental. They are notorious for throwing impromptu tantrums in the grocery store, refusing to eat their meals, not sleeping the way we’d like them to and otherwise causing their parents endless frustration. I think toddlers have it pretty rough, though. They are … Continue reading
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