No-Cry Discipline

Should Older Kids Babysit for their Siblings?

What happens when an older sibling babysits for a younger one? Is it a good idea? If there is a wide age span between your children, you may be wondering if your older child would make a good babysitter. The decision to have one sibling babysit for another should never be based purely on the age of the children, or what is convenient for the parents. Rather, the decision should be based on how responsible the older child is, and on the relationship between the children. If the older child displays trustworthiness for homework, chores and personal responsibilities, and if the two children have a usually peaceful relationship, it’s safe to try out a babysitting situation.

Using the Magic Word when Parenting

Day in and day out, parents are teaching their children to use their manners; but all too often, parents forget to use those same manners themselves. Parents make the mistake of modeling the exact opposite of what they’ve been teaching, which makes their parenting lessons much less effective. Or they take the opposite approach and are not direct enough.

Handling Unwanted Advice

Are you getting frustrated with the endless stream of unwanted advice you get from other people about how to raise your child? You may love your friends and family, but how do you get them to stop dispensing all this unwanted advice?

The important place to start is to understand that just as your baby is an important part of your life, he is also important to others. People who care about your baby are bonded to you and your child in a special way that invites their counsel. Knowing this may give you a reason to handle the interference gently, in a way that leaves everyone’s feelings intact.

When Your Toddler Pushes Your Buttons

After giving a parenting lecture one day, a mother approached me complaining that her two-year-old was constantly whining, getting into everything and making her very frustrated.

How to Grocery Shop with Kids

“I go shopping a couple times a week, and I have to take my child with me. He hates to go and so he usually ends up begging for candy and then fussing, crying or having a tantrum in the store. Is there any want to fix this?”

Getting Kids to Cooperate

How can you get your kids to cooperate and do the many things they must do from morning until bedtime? Here are some tips for a happier household.

Be specific:

Don’t hint at the tasks you would like done, such as, “It would be nice if somebody helped me clean up.” Don’t make it sound as if agreement is optional by starting your sentence with “Could you” or “Would you?” or ending your sentence with, “. . . Okay?” Make your request clear, short and on point, “Please put your dishes in the sink and wash the table.” or “It’s time to gather your homework and come to the table.” Make sure that your statement is clear and that it will identify what is needed or describe the problem without a lecture.