Positive Discipline Parenting Blog
Sproutable's Positive Discipline blog.
Real tips. Real talk. Read & grow.
Latest post
Talking to Kids about Friendships
There was a time, maybe you remember this too, when we were taught to be friends with everybody. Being nice, getting along, and not creating conflict was rewarded with approval from the adults, and led[...]By Julietta Skoog
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Talking to Kids about Friendships
There was a time, maybe you remember this too, when we were taught to be friends with everybody. Being nice, getting along, and not creating conflict was rewarded with approval from the adults, and led to confusion for the kids. They knew it wasn’t that simple. There were kids that they just didn’t vibe with, […]By Julietta Skoog
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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
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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
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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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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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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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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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Reconnecting with your nanny child after a tough day
Even the best nannies and loveliest kiddos have tough days sometimes. It’s inevitable! But part of our job as a professional is coming back the next day refreshed and ready to try again. This can be easier said than done. How do we reconnect with our nanny kiddos after a particularly challenging day? Here’s what I do. Self-Care How can we care for others when our cup is empty?By Danielle Taylor
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