Positive Discipline Parenting Blog
Sproutable’s Positive Discipline blog for parents and caregivers of children toddler to elementary school.
Real tips. Real talk. Read & grow.
Latest post
Homework Battles: The 5 Step Reset
Semenay Erdoğan from Unsplash Do you dread the after school show down? When you ask whether they have any homework while preparing for battle? Or maybe it is after the sports and activities in the[...]By Julietta Skoog
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Tips for Eating Out with Young Kids
How do you feel when you go to a restaurant with your kids? Relaxed and happy? Anxious and stressed? Do you brace yourself for the disaster or embrace the opportunity to take it public? The reframe is that the challenge of eating out is also the chance at practicing social and executive functioning skills and strengthening your relationship. Try these tips to make eating out with children actually fun (gasp!).By Julietta Skoog
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Joyful Courage & Sproutable: one space for all parents & caregivers
We began merging our backgrounds in psychology, early child development, public health, counseling, mindfulness, social emotional learning, social justice, racial equity and Positive Discipline, joining forces to go farther than either of us could do on our own. We used innovation, technology, Alanna’s idea of videos of REAL families, and an online platform to share the helpful, immediately useful and mutually-respectful tools world wide.By Julietta Skoog
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Embracing pretend play with kids
It’s been a bit of a surprise for me over the last few years to realize that playing pretend isn’t as easy as I once thought. I know I sure enjoyed it as a child, but as an adult it can feel just a bit tedious, repetitive, and perhaps is not the most engaging part of the day. However, playing pretend with your nanny kiddos is a great way to build connection! I also see pretend play really building those life skills that we want to see in our nanny charges when they are adults.By Danielle Taylor
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Preparing kids for flu shots + vaccines
Kids have been getting shots since they were little, and yet it feels like each time a flu shot or vaccine comes around it is a totally new ordeal. While parents may be relieved at the protection, guess who is NOT doing a happy dance. The kids! Most dread that larger than life needle. So how do you prepare kids for vaccines and possible after effects? We’ve got tips to help.By Julietta Skoog
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Nightmares
Can toddlers and preschoolers suffer from nightmares? How can I help my toddler and preschooler with nightmares? Why does my 2 year old wake up screaming?How do I stop my child from having nightmares? You are not alone. It is a normal developmental stage and they often come in waves where young children will have them a few days in a row and then not have any again for a few weeks. Here are some tips to help!By Julietta Skoog
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How do I teach kids to share?
It is completely unrealistic, developmentally, to expect young children to share. What you CAN teach them, explicitly is what it means to share (usually taking turns) and the skills they need to be practicing mutually respectful sharing.By Julietta Skoog
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Hitting. When will it end?
How to stop toddlers from hitting TWENTY TIMES! I remember thinking, I’m pretty sure I’ve repeated myself twenty freaking times today. I was so annoyed and irritated but eventually became angry and absolutely exhausted. “Gentle hands. We are always gentle with other people’s bodies. You can say, ‘excuse me’ and place your hand gently like this to get their attention.” “Let’s practice. How can you get my attention gently? We were visiting my parents and I was traveling alone with my two-year-old.By Alanna Beebe
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Building the Culture of Teamwork through Chores
When I was growing up we did not have a chore chart. There were no stickers, or popsicle sticks or magnets on a whiteboard. There was just an understanding that we pitched in…all hands on deck. My father was in the military until I was about 7, and prior to that, my mother was very sick with breast cancer. For many of my early memories, she was in and out of the hospital and my father worked long hours. We had caregivers and help but there was still a lot to be done.By Julietta Skoog
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The 5 Parenting Lessons I Learned from 80’s Movie Quotes
For those of us children of the 80's, we have grown up to be parents in a new millennium. It blows my mind to live in a world with Internet, Apple Pay, scanners, and Netflix, not to mention having the intel ahead of time to predict the name of your driver and exact time of your taxi... er... Lyft, pick up. The fact that you can Jetsons style talk to grandparents ON YOUR PHONEBy Julietta Skoog
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The Art of Follow Through
Struggling with transitions and routines? Is your child very strong-willed? How do we motivate kids? How do we invite cooperation? How do we find that balance of connection (so they hear you) and firmness? What does follow-through look like? We often hear grown-ups say they have trouble “getting cooperation” but what does that really mean? […]By Julietta Skoog
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