Posts Tagged "need for power"

If Kids Fighting Makes You Mad

If Kids Fighting Makes You Mad

How can you open doors to connection instead of slamming them shut (literally) when kids fighting sets you off? I was invited to answer this question for a reader of Hands Free Mama blog. Our Q&A is reprinted below with permission, edited for brevity and clarity.   QUESTION: Do you have any suggestions on how to handle sibling fighting?   I am a Type A, list-following,...

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Being Nice or Not?

Being Nice or Not?

Telling children, "Be nice!" can have unexpected consequences. You probably know that the non-specific command, "Be nice!" is not particularly helpful for children. But worse than that, it can result in the opposite behavior. Here's how: When "Be nice!" is spoken in a corrective or threatening tone, as in "Be nice [or else]!" kids hear it as, "Do whatever it takes to keep the peace." Without...

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