Positive Discipline Parenting Blog
Sproutable's Positive Discipline blog.
Real tips. Real talk. Read & grow.
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What Your Nervous System is Trying to Tell You
When you are going through divorce or co-parenting struggles with your ex, it’s exhausting. Your nervous system may be stuck in survival mode. Here are tools to calm your nervous system from this panic state. Let[...]By Guest
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Feelings, the First Foreign Language I Learned as a Parent
How will we practice? How are we going to teach them to name their feelings, express themselves clearly and assertively, and not internalize or explode their stress or negative emotions? When our children are scared, mad, or so sad, their irrational brain has taken over and is only able to yell, “Fight! Run away! Freeze!” We can guide our children into their “rational” brain by helping them feel safe and understood, while teaching them to name and express their feelings in positive ways.By Julietta Skoog
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Healing Happens in Community: Why Group Support Actually Works
There’s something a lot of people don’t realize until they’re in the middle of a divorce or trying to co-parent with someone difficult: it’s weirdly lonely. Even if you’ve got friends or family around, it’s hard to talk about what’s really going on. People either don’t get it, try to fix it, or maybe even […]By Guest
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Summer Car Kit for Nannies
My school-aged nanny kiddos and I spend tons of time outside during summer break. We live in Seattle, so we’ve got to soak up the sun while we can! As I was recently restocking the back of my car for my tenth summer nannying (what?!), I figured I’d share some of my must-haves for anyone […]By Danielle Taylor
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Navigating the Marijuana Conversation with Teens: A Parent’s Guide
As a parent, one of the most challenging things to navigate is the issue of marijuana use among teens. We all know that adolescence is a time of exploration, testing boundaries, and trying new things. For many teens, marijuana is one of those things they experiment with. The question is: How do we, as parents, […]By Casey O'Roarty
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3 Tips for Successful Playdates with Elementary School Kids
With warmer weather playdates are increasing. Our kids love playing with other kids! They are socially wired, and thrive through interactions with others. In the elementary years, kids still ask for playdates, especially through 2nd grade. 3rd graders and up often begin managing their own social plans, and “letting” parents know. It requires navigation and coordinating, particularly […]By Julietta Skoog
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Trusting My Teen Through the Driving Years
We all experience our teens starting to drive with a level of fear and trepidation. I mean, they’re driving a vehicle! Let’s be real, they’re babies behind the wheel, right? They have no real concept of experience over time. Yet, here they are, in this position of power. They’ll eventually figure it out, but the ride is bumpy.By Casey O'Roarty
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Secret Browsers and Navigating Screens with Tweens & Teens
This week, a post in the Joyful Courage for Parents of Teens Facebook group really hit home for me. A mom was grappling with her 12-year-old son, who managed to bypass his school’s tech filters by using a “fake algebra website” to access blocked sites like TikTok and Fortnite. As you can imagine, she was […]By Casey O'Roarty
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What to Do When Nanny Kids Bite
The first time I encountered a biting situation, I was caring for two absolutely delightful toddlers in a nanny share. These kiddos had grown up together since they were about six months old and had become great friends. Both were (and continue to be) kind, loving, and sweet children...By Danielle Taylor
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School Break Survival Guide: Routines, Connection & Sanity-Saving Tips for Parents of K-5 Kids
I worked in schools as a school psychologist and school counselor, my husband is a teacher, and we have three children in elementary, middle and high school. So, as a family, our rhythm and calendars revolve around the school year cycle and we LIVE for the breaks! While they of course can be fun and […]By Julietta Skoog
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Why Natural Consequences Work: A Nanny’s Guide to Positive Discipline That Builds Resilient Kids
As a nanny, Natural Consequences is one of my favorite ways to respond to children. In “Positive Discipline Parenting Tools,” Dr. Jane Nelsen explains that, “A natural consequence is anything that happens naturally, with no adult interference. When you stand in the rain, you get wet.” Why do we want children to face natural consequences, […]By Danielle Taylor
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