Positive Discipline Parenting Blog

When Kids Say Really Mean Things

Nothing can prepare you for that first time your child says hurtful things to you. You would think it gets easier but it never does. You are human after all, with feelings too. It is so hard to imagine when they are sweet little babes in your arms that vitriol will come out of their mouths…maybe as teenagers, but that is so far away. You have time. Nope.

Turning nap strike into genius hour

By the age of 3, your child has approached many amazing milestones. They are scootering, potty training, running, hopping, even coloring and telling jokes and stories. With all this development comes a price- nap strike! It is common for children around the age of 3 (usually right before) to “drop the nap.” Don’t be fooled! […]

Connecting with Early Elementary Schoolers

A huge tenet of Positive Discipline is building & nurturing the relationship between you and the child(ren) you care for. We call this connection. Some connection-building is instant and easy: you’ll end up bonding with just about any child in your circle, but if you find yourself in power struggles or asking “why aren’t they listening to me?” then it’s time to focus on building connection.

Promoting Flexibility in Children

Something we’re always coming back to in Positive Discipline are the long-term goals and the traits we hope to see in the kiddos we care for once they reach adulthood. One life skill that I choose to focus on is being flexible. I’m not always the most flexible person in the room, and on occasion, I can miss out on something fun because I wasn’t being flexible enough. The good news for me, though, is that working with children gives me lots of opportunities to model, practice, and grow my own flexibility muscles.

Kids are SO Brave

I went down a slide last week and ended up having a huge realization that I haven’t stopped thinking about since. I was with my two nanny kiddos at a trampoline park, and we were having a total blast. Unlike me, they’re both natural athletes and love being at the trampoline park. I was following them, watching them do all kinds of crazy flips & jumps, and snapping pics to send to their parents when they started asking me if I wanted to go down the big slide.

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.