Parenting Archives

3 Benefits of Listening in Relationships: How Minds Sync Up

Do you experience loneliness? Would you like to be able to trust more—and get others to put more trust in you? In You’re Not Listening, Kate Murphy explains that effective listening creates empathic connections between people. She explores three core benefits of these empathic connections, whether they’re in the context of friendships, romantic relationships, or parenting. Keep reading to learn the three benefits of listening in relationships.

Communication With Children: Using Words to Love & Discipline

Are you having trouble connecting with your child? What’s the best way to have effective communication with children? One of the most crucial parts of parenting is verbal and nonverbal communication. Every parent has to talk to their kids to show them love and to discipline them, teaching them right from wrong. Below we’ve compiled advice for effective communication with children so important things don’t get lost in translation.

The 1-2-3 Magic Method for Disciplining Your Children

How should you help kids redirect their behavior? How should children’s chores change as they get older? What are the benefits of sympathetic listening? The 1-2-3 Magic Method distills discipline into two tasks—stopping unwanted behavior and initiating productive behavior. This gives you more time and energy to cultivate a warm and loving relationship with your child. Read on to learn how Thomas W. Phelan’s 1-2-3 Magic Method might work for your family.

Do Time-Outs Work? Why Breaks Are Better for Kids

Do time-outs work for children? How effective are they at achieving your real goal? Is there a better way to reach that goal? Clinical psychologist Thomas W. Phelan considers time-outs an archaic discipline tactic. He recommends breaks instead. A break is similar to the classic idea of a time-out. But, the execution, and thus the results, are different. Keep reading to learn why time-outs don’t work and why breaks do.

The Importance of Routines for Children: Benefits & Strategies

Why are routines important for children? How can you get kids to establish them and stick to them? Clinical psychologist Thomas W. Phelan suggests routines as an effective strategy for helping kids get things done. Setting up routines takes time and effort. But, his routine-building tips foster self-sufficiency and responsibility in kids so that, over time, kids do more and more. Continue reading to learn the importance of routines for children and how to make them a reality in your home.

3 Simple Ways to Use Positive Reinforcement for Children

When and how should you praise your kids? When should you let natural consequences speak for you? In 1-2-3 Magic, clinical psychologist Thomas W. Phelan provides strategies for (1) stopping unwanted behavior, (2) helping kids initiate and sustain productive behaviors, and (3) fostering healthy parent-child relationships. The second part of his method entails a heavy dose of positivity. Keep reading to learn how to effectively use positive reinforcement for children.

How to Discipline Your Child Without a Fight (1-2-3 Magic)

Do you tend to get too emotional when trying to direct your child’s behavior? Do counting methods of discipline really work? In 1-2-3 Magic, clinical psychologist Thomas W. Phelan explains how to discipline your child in a way that lets you spend less time managing your child’s behavior and more time enjoying your relationship. He describes the problems with common discipline methods and shares his simple counting approach. Read more to discover the 1-2-3 Magic way of discipline and see how it might work for your children.

What Is Sympathetic Listening? A Key to Understanding Your Child

When you listen to your child, what’s your goal? How can you help your kids process their emotions? What is sympathetic listening? There’s listening, and then there’s sympathetic listening. Far more than just taking in what others are saying, you can understand them better than ever. It’s a critical skill for parents who want to know what’s really going on in their child’s mind, help them grow, and strengthen the bonds that tie them together. Continue reading to learn what sympathetic listening is and how to practice it.

How to Bond With Your Children: Strategies for Closeness

Do your kids see you more as “the enforcer” than “Mom” or “Dad”? Would you like to have more time and energy to give to the relationship with your kids? Clinical psychologist Thomas W. Phelan knows how important it is for parents and children to have strong bonds. His book 1-2-3 Magic includes parenting strategies that let you spend less time managing your child’s behavior and more time enjoying your relationship. Read more to learn how to bond with your children and get closer than ever.

Ross Greene’s The Explosive Child: Book Overview

What is Ross Greene’s The Explosive Child about? Do you feel like you live according to your child’s moods? The Explosive Child offers you a way to get your child’s behavior under control—and a way to get your life back. In it, clinical child psychologist Ross W. Greene outlines a method of addressing the behavioral problems of “explosive children” through collaboration and communication. Read below for a brief overview of The Explosive Child.

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