Positive Discipline Parenting Blog
Sproutable's Positive Discipline blog.
Real tips. Real talk. Read & grow.
Latest post
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[...]By Danielle Taylor
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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
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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
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A Day as a Positive Discipline Nanny
Being a Positive Discipline nanny truly makes my job so much smoother & more enjoyable! I often say that after being trained in Positive Discipline, I feel like I’m playing on easy mode. This is the true story of how I saw Positive Discipline showing up for me and my nanny kiddos on what had the potential to be a pretty awful Monday.By Danielle Taylor
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Teaching kids how to manage anger
One thing I adore about Positive Discipline is how much time and effort is spent on teaching children how to recognize and handle their emotions. It is so powerful to teach that all feelings are valid (though their actions because of those feelings may not be)! What a relief for a child to know that it’s okay to be angry, and that it will pass. Anger doesn’t feel good, but knowing that it’s both normal and temporary sure helps. Here's how to make and use an anger wheel of choice with your nanny kids.By Danielle Taylor
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Overnights with nanny kids
Many nannies, at some point, may be asked if they’re available for overnight care of their nanny charges. This totally makes sense- you’re in the home almost every day, you know the routine and schedule, the children are comfortable with you, and the parents trust you. Of course it’s your choice, but I’ve found that overnights with my nanny kiddos are really fun and leave us feeling extra connected. Here are my tips for overnights with the nanny kids to ensure they end with high fives instead of tears.By Danielle Taylor
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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
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5 summer ideas for nanny kiddos
Summer is fun, exciting, and a wonderful change of pace (especially here in rainy Seattle!), but it also means that the routines we’ve counted on and been polishing all school-year are about to change. For many families, nannies, and kiddos, summer means travel, playdates, and sunshine. How can we as nannies set ourselves, our charges, and our families up for a great summer?By Danielle Taylor
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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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Three Superpowers When Your Nanny Child Isn’t Listening
One of the most common questions I see on nanny and parenting forums is, “What do I do when my kid won’t listen?” We’ve all been there! It’s challenging and can be embarrassing when your nanny charge simply will not listen to what you’re asking them to do, especially because we are professionals. Thanks to Positive Discipline, I have three strategies that consistently work.By Danielle Taylor
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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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