Posts by Lauren

Rage Reversal—Getting Kids Heard

Rage Reversal—Getting Kids Heard

In an instant, his world flipped 180 degrees. My son transformed from serene and peaceful to boiling rage. My mouth collapsed to the concrete as I stood in the parking lot of my daughter’s preschool. His voice thundered. His eyes intensified. His face turned crimson red. On the outside I was fighting to stay calm, but on the inside I was terrified. His anger explosions seem to come out of...

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Parenting Anger: Is it me or them?

Parenting Anger: Is it me or them?

It had been a day filled with tantrums, power struggles, and testing, testing, testing. I felt like I was doing all the right things, listening to my kids’ feelings, validating their experience, and extending my patience well beyond what I should need to do. Yet, everything I did felt like the wrong thing. I cut the toast wrong. Hurried them out the door too quickly.  Buckled the car seat...

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Gaining Toddler Cooperation – Bed, Bath, Mealtime

Gaining Toddler Cooperation – Bed, Bath, Mealtime

Q: “My biggest parenting challenge at the moment is that my two year old daughter is a little bit strong-willed. Meal times, bath times and basically everything in life is a challenge when she's already decided whether or not she will be doing what I ask. I can negotiate, I can plead and I can try to coax her - all to no avail.   She also has a routine - I'm quite religious about it- I...

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