How To Get Your Child to "Be Good" (HINT: It’s Not By Just Saying It)

“Be good!” is probably the most common phrase used by parents with young children. It is also my #1 pet peeve. Ā The close second being the follow up

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Is Your Toddler Picking Up Bad Habits At Day Care?

Day care is a necessary evil for most parents. Ā Truthfully, it can also be a lifesaver. Ā If you trust your day care provider, having another set of people

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The Key to Holiday Rituals is the Word "Always"

When I ask people about their family rituals, most parents report back that they donā€™t really have any. Even my own brother has told me that our family

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Learn to Set Limits Without Saying No in 3 Easy Steps

For most parents, limits are usually set with one of these three words: NO. DON’T STOP. No, you can not play outside. Ā Don’t run in the hallway. Stop

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Consequences: Change Your Words To Change Behavior (Part 2)

Want to learn how to impose consequences without Ā being ā€œthe Bad Guyā€? Here’s another simple language tweak that can have a big impact on behavior. We already talked

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Bribes: Change Your Words To Change Behaviors (Part 1)

Do you offer bribes to your child to get good behavior? Ā Parents often feel guilty about ā€œusing bribesā€ to get their children to comply with rules. I hear

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My Ex is An Alcoholic? Should My Child Still Have Visits?

Managing parent and child visits when drugs or alcohol is involved can be tricky. Sadly, drug and alcohol abuse is a factor in over 30 million homes (according

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Why Time-In May Work Better Than Time-Out

Time-in is a coping skill used by therapists to teach children how to regulate (aka deal with) difficult emotions. Ā Before we get into the details, letā€™s review some

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What is Play Therapy?

Play Therapy? Are you unsure of exactly what that means? When people ask what I do for a living and I them I am a Play Therapist, I

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Praise for Kids That Actually Helps

Praise is supposed to be good for kids, right? What is wrong with saying ā€œGood Job?ā€ Well, nothing in particular, I guess. The wrong kind of praise can

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