Struggling with convincing your child to get—and stay—in a car seat? Learn how to handle a car seat tantrum effectively with these tips. I felt stuck. My three-year-old son refused to go into his car seat and didn't want to go home. As an infant and toddler, I could always maneuver him into his seat. Now though, he was too big, strong enough to push back. If he didn't cooperate, there would be no way for us to go home. I felt so vulnerable, unable to do anything unless he was willing to comply. I wasn't alone in my frustration, either. SSBE reader Lori emailed about her child's … [Read more...]
What to Do when Your Kids Don’t Listen to You in Public
Do you spend every family outing managing misbehaving kids? Learn what to do when kids don't listen in public so you can enjoy your time together. SSBE reader Sharon wrote in with a situation many of us can relate to: kids who don't listen to us in public. Maybe you've had to raise your voice just to get them to hear you. They run away when you need them to stay put. Or they touch things they should leave alone. I've seen similar behavior myself, whether with my own kids or from observing others. Kids who don't stay seated at story time despite parents telling them to pay attention. Or … [Read more...]
When Your Child Seems to Ruin Everyone’s Day
What to do when your child ruins everyone's day with tantrums and outbursts? Learn how to turn a bad day around and embrace your child's temperament. An SSBE reader wrote how her daughter seemed disagreeable nearly all the time, crying and screaming every day. Her emotional dial was set to extreme, with every response an outburst. Once in a while she complied, but on most days, she was defiant and rude. It can be frustrating when one person in the family seems to have the power to ruin everyone's day. After all, we entered parenthood with thoughts of snuggles and warmth. Instead, … [Read more...]
A Better but Not Always Easier Alternative to Timeouts
Looking for a better alternative to timeout? Putting your child in time out isn't effective and misses key learning moments. Try this alternative instead. My three-year-old had been playing with a Transformer when, out of frustration, he hurled it several feet away. He knew he's not supposed to throw certain toys that can break or hurt others, but he didn't seem to care. "We don't throw those toys," I glared at him. "Please pick it up and put it on the shelf." As expected, he stayed rooted to where he sat. Insert more threats here and there, and, I regret to admit, said, "You need to … [Read more...]
One Sure Way to Prevent Misbehavior in Children
Parenting would be so much easier if we could prevent misbehavior from even starting. Turns out, we can. Here's one sure way to prevent misbehavior in children. Do you ever get those days when it feels like your kids didn't act up? Every day, you're consoling another tantrum or dealing with whining. Well, I learned there was one thing we could do to avoid most of these outbursts—and it wasn't just waiting until "it gets better." By making changes, we can reduce and even prevent misbehavior in children. (Read more about how to stop kids from whining.) One sure way to prevent … [Read more...]
[OLD] The Parenting Technique You Shouldn’t Follow (And What to Do Instead)
![[OLD] The Parenting Technique You Shouldn’t Follow (And What to Do Instead)](https://sleepingshouldbeeasy.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/distraction-200x200.jpg)
When your child misbehaves or cries, it's tempting to do this to get him quiet or stop crying. But this is one parenting technique you shouldn't follow. My kids were fighting over the same fire truck... again. Tired of the arguing, the pleading and tears, I scrambled to find something to break up the fight. And so I dug into the storage bin and found old toys they haven't played with in a while. "Look, check out this new board game!" I announced. And just as I predicted, the fight ended as they scampered toward the new toy. The fire truck sat untouched, no longer a hot issue to cry … [Read more...]
Set Boundaries — Kids Actually Want Them
Raising great kids means setting limits and holding your ground. Learn the importance of teaching children boundaries —and why kids actually want them. It's always the little things. Wanting the white cup instead of the orange. Putting their feet on the dining table when we've told him not to. The arguments at bed time because they don't want to brush their teeth. At first it seems easier to accommodate their requests. What's one more story to read at bedtime? And that extra toy they asked for at the store seems educational enough. But those lead to bigger problems, like talking … [Read more...]
Be Choosy with What’s Off Limits
Feel like you tell your child no all the time? Don't fight with your kids over everything. Instead, be choosy when setting limits with your strong willed child to avoid struggles. "No." "Don't jump on the couch." "You can't have another snack." "Stop hitting your brother." Sometimes it seems like we say "no" (in its various forms) all day. We get from policing kids and telling them what they can and can't do. And the more we tell them not do something, the more it feels like they misbehave and need to hear it more. Saying "no" can even been our default response to their behavior. … [Read more...]
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