Positive Discipline Parenting Blog

Sproutable's Positive Discipline blog.

Real tips. Real talk. Read & grow.

Latest post

Opening Up to Your Resistance

Jennifer Bounauer Unsplash When I work with parents, lots of families resonate with the idea of letting go and being open & present with their children.  But in reality, we spend so much of our[...]

By Casey O'Roarty

Views

Liar, Liar:  Why I Don’t Stress When my Nanny Kids Fib

Something I see pop up occasionally in online nannying groups is concern & frustration over nanny kiddos telling lies. I totally get it; nobody likes being lied to! I see suggestions of taking things away, lecturing & punishing, forced apologies, and even trying to scare kids out of lying. In fact, I remember being told “you’ll go to hell if you tell a lie” when I was a young child, and it was terrifying! I’ll offer you a different solution: let it go.

By Danielle Taylor

Views

Catch Us at the Library

I’ve been nannying for about eight years now, and though kids & families may change, one very consistent part of my nanny routine is visiting the library. I recently found myself considering what’s still so engaging to me and my nanny kids about the library after literally hundreds of visits. Why are libraries so helpful in supporting young children?

By Danielle Taylor

Views

Moving from praise to encouragement

I’ve been soaking up everything I can about Positive Discipline for the last five years or so, and most of it has come fairly easily to me. It takes patience, intention, consistency, and effort, but most of the tools and strategies have always “clicked” for me. That being said, I am still, every day, working on moving from praise to encouragement with my nanny kids. This has been so challenging for me!

By Danielle Taylor

Views

Getting comfortable with messy play

I’ve been working with kids for over 15 years, and I’ve cleaned up a fair share of messes in that time. I wasn’t someone who initially leaned into messy play because it can be gross, stressful, overwhelming, and because I could always come up with something else that’s fun to do instead. However, the longer I’ve been doing this, the more I’ve gotten not only comfortable, but actually have started enjoying, inviting, celebrating, and really leaning into messy play time! Here’s my why, my how, and some tips I’ve learned along the way.

By Danielle Taylor

Views

Why I teach my nanny kids how to do things for themselves

If we want our nanny charges to learn life skills, we start by explicitly teaching those skills. Nobody just knows how to do laundry or scramble an egg - even basic life skills need to be taught clearly and explicitly with step-by-step training. Typically, the best way to do this is to model and narrate, then move into doing the task together, then the child does it while you supervise, and eventually the child is ready to do that task on their own. Think about making your bed, it seems pretty simple, right? Well, maybe not

By Danielle Taylor

Views

Five Phrases to Leave in 2022

One thing I’m always trying to improve on is my language and communication with children. I invite you to consider these five phrases that well-intentioned adults use with kids and offer some alternatives that might be worth trying out.

By Danielle Taylor

Views

When nanny kids miss their parent

“I WANT MY MAMA!” We’ve all been there- watching your nanny kiddos meltdown because they miss their parents. How can we best support our charges, both beforehand and in the moment, when they’re missing their parents? Here are my 5 tools to help nanny kids when they miss their parent or caregiver.

By Danielle Taylor

Views

Embracing Risky Play with Young Kids

I recently read an excellent article from Psychology Today called “Risky Play: Why Children Love It and Need It.”  After reading the article, I found myself reflecting on how I have and have not embraced risky play with the children in my care.  As a nanny, our number one job is to keep kiddos safe, […]

By Danielle Taylor

Views

Teacher Tom’s First Book – a nanny review

As a parent or caregiver, you might not be immediately drawn to a book written by a teacher and about teaching, but it is absolutely relevant and engaging for anyone who has children in their lives.  My copy is highlighted, tabbed, and has post-it notes falling out of it from all the notes I was jotting down & sections I want to remember! 

By Danielle Taylor

Views

Free Professional Development for Nannies

Nannying may be a “work of heart,” but it’s also a legitimate, serious career.  Attending conferences, pursuing higher education, certifications, trainings, and reading the latest in child-development can all make you stand out as a candidate and make you a more confident, competent nanny.  Of course the downside here is that many of these opportunities can break-the-bank, so we’ve compiled a list of free professional development just for nannies! 

By Danielle Taylor

Views