Posts Tagged "preteen"
Motivation Formula & How to Use It – Part 1
When my daughter Betsy was in middle school, she told me through a flood of tears that she was sure she had no self-motivation. She couldn't make herself do things she didn't want to do. Yep, that's the message I'd inadvertently been sending: making yourself do things you don't want to do IS self-motivation. Of course, I was applying it to myself as well, and it led to a lot of anger and...
Read MoreIf 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,...
Read MorePranks Aren’t All Bad
Some people love pranks and others hate them. Mixed feelings are common. How should you respond? I overheard some parents talking about their middle school daughters playing pranks on strangers like ringing the doorbell and running away, and making prank phone calls. The parents didn't want to come down too hard on them for fear that the girls would turn to something worse, and were wondering if...
Read More“Parenting done right” or “Child done wrong”?
An image of a return receipt with the caption "Parenting done right" was posted on a social media site after the holidays. The reason for the return of the Wii game was included on the receipt: "Son was put on the naughty list, had to watch it being returned." That receipt inspired a Yahoo Parenting post that set off a storm of comments defending rewards and punishment (even to the point of...
Read More“No! Not a shoe store!!!”
Shopping can bring out the best or worst in anybody, especially children. When you need to take your kids on lengthy shopping trips, remember their three basic needs: Experience, Power and Connection EXPERIENCE: Make sure your children bring something they CAN DO to keep their minds, fingers and bodies engaged in the car, in the store, and in lines. Small boredom-breaking fanny-packs or...
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