“Can you start your homework?” (alternatively, “Have you finished your homework/ Homework.”) “No.” “Do you want to clean your room now?” “Nah.” “Wanna go to work and attend to all of your responsibilities today?” “Uh… no.” Offering choices to our children instead of asking yes/no questions can transform how they respond to you. Choices foster…
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If your child struggles when you tell them “no”, try saying “yes, when” instead. For example, your kid might ask for junk food or more time on Minecraft. Instead of saying “no,” which triggers immediate negative behavior and a stressful power struggle, tell them when they can fulfill their request. “Yes, you can have more…
Do you ever notice that your kid, cat, dog, or parrot doesn’t want to play with the expensive toys you bought especially for them but prefers commonplace objects that you use daily, like your laptop, cell phone, or report printout? (My kids and pets have killed many keyboards, laptops and phones.) Children learn more from…
Read more about Perspective-Taking To a Happier You (and Those Around You)
My first assignment in a management role was not to negotiate but to announce a price list with a blanket 30% price hike and then demand increased order commitments from a room full of white men in their 40s and 50s representing national dealers and international distributors. I was in my 20s, scared, and felt…
Read more about The Required Expertise and Tough Grind of Foundation Building
Several friends around me vow never to have kids because they know how much bad parenting can hurt from personal experience and don’t want to wield the power of “ruining my kids’ lives.” I see parenthood as the easiest way to experience unconditional love and a second chance at healing wounds from your childhood. How…
Studies have shown that learning differences are as common among Asians as they are among other countries. Between 5% and 9% of the general population is impacted while approximately 6.3% of Chinese children live with ADHD, nearly 1% live with autism, and 11.32% of Indians, 26.2% of Indonesian, 2.49% of Pakistani, and 7.7% of Japanese children live with ADHD.…
Dr. Ron van Houten noticed that pedestrian fatalities in his community were out of control. He was determined to find a solution so that children could safely cross the street. His research demonstrated a few sources of the problem: drivers were speeding, failing to yield, and stopping too closely to the crosswalks. It was evident…
“Put the dishes away when you’re done.” “Don’t take your sister’s toys without asking her first.” How often do you feel like a broken record? Between after-school activities, homework, video games, soccer practice, and just keeping up with life, getting your kids to do what they’re supposed to do sometimes feels herculean and impossible.…
Read more about How to get your kids to……<br>Motivate Your Kids to Get Things Done
Growing up requires us to learn how to tolerate disappointments in life, but many parents feel responsible for shielding their children from experiences they consider too upsetting. You may feel guilt, embarrassment, pain or discomfort, shame, or other negative emotions if you know that you are the reason your child is now whining, crying, yelling,…
Read more about How to say “no”, stick to it, and avoid power struggles
My daughter painted this the summer she finished fourth grade. While she is a very gifted artist, she didn’t paint this on her own–she had way too much help with this piece at a department store art studio in Taiwan where art teachers help children replicate masterpieces. Our social media post this week talked about…