Help from Mentor Moms, Tips for parenting

A Magic Phrase To Help Children Respond

30 Seconds for Hope:

After instructing children, do you tack on a common query of “Okay?”  You wonder whether they’ve heard you, but unfortunately, the question “Okay?” also means, “Do you want to do this?” To avoid confusing our children, let’s replace “Okay?” with words that actually mean what we say. I replaced it with two words that worked wonders in my household. What are they? Read on!

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Encouragement

A Sneaky Trust Buster. Are You Able to Spot It?

30 Seconds for Hope:  Heads up everyone! A very common logical fallacy produces misunderstandings and disappointments, creating offenses all around us. Be aware. This faulty type of logic, called false dilemma, sneaks in when we believe we know why someone did what they did without knowing all the factors or possibilities.  It shows up when we say, “Either he cares about me or he doesn’t” (which is an “either/or” supposition, assuming only two, mutually exclusive options). False-dilemma reasoning only considers two alternatives when, in reality, multiple possibilities might be reasons. Have you learned to spot this trust buster? Recognizing false dilemmas will help you build deeper friendships.

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Encouragement, Help from Mentor Moms, Tips for parenting

How Can You Motivate Children? Ideas beyond Candy and Money (and Yelling)

30 Seconds for Hope: Do your kids act deaf? I mean, do they hear just fine but maybe aren’t motivated to listen and act? Would you like some ideas on how to help them respond—tips that go beyond threats, coins, or candy? Do you hope for a more upbeat tone in your home? Over the years I have learned some outside-the-box ideas for motivating children that I want to pass along to you.

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Encouragement

The “Good Parent” Controversy – Influence vs. Determinism

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30 Seconds for Hope: Here’s a puzzle…sometimes bad parents end up with good children (what?)—and, on the other hand, some good parents end up with bad children (plus lots of blame from society). Yet often books on parenting and conversations on child-raising, and even mommy blogs, imply that good parenting skills will produce good children. What gives? Frequently commentary on parenting springs from Continue reading “The “Good Parent” Controversy – Influence vs. Determinism”