Positive Discipline Parenting Blog
Sproutable's Positive Discipline blog.
Real tips. Real talk. Read & grow.
Latest post
Feelings, the First Foreign Language I Learned as a Parent
I was visiting a friend last week and we got to talking about Family Meetings (spend more than an hour with me and this family meeting thing is likely to come up). He rolled his[...]By Julietta Skoog
Views
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
Views 
3 tips for teaching kids to be a good sport
“That’s not fair” “You cheated!” “I never win!” Sound familiar? Most kids have a tough time navigating games where there is a clear winner, or when they feel a sense of unfairness. This is because they are still learning! Getting comfortable with losing, being flexible with not going first or getting the color game piece they want, and having patience taking turns all takes LOTS of practice. It is still cognitively challenging for young children to see “fairness” because they are still growing into their capacity for perspective taking, which is why it is important to start now!By Julietta Skoog
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 
The Power of the Perfect Children’s Book
One of the hardest parts of parenting is helping our young children navigate their emotional roller coasters. Yet big emotions are a necessary part of their development. It helps them communicate when they don’t have the words or the skills to stay regulated, solve problems, face fears, deal with disappointment or frankly navigate all their young brains are learning and processing. It is a lot.By Julietta Skoog
Views 
Reconnecting with your child after a tough day
There are some dark days while parenting, and even tougher nights when we lay our head on the pillow and wish things could have been different that day. We might feel disconnected, resentful and sad. This is because we are human! So are our children. We make mistakes. We are in relationship with each other, and we are all still growing and practicing. The beauty and gifts that our children give us is the gift of grace, and the gift of forgiveness. We get to give them this too. There is always another day and a chance to try a new way of being together.By Julietta Skoog
Views 
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
Views 
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
Views 
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
Views 
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
Views