The weather has been pretty crazy…hot, cold, windy, rainy, and completely and totally unpredictable. Kind of like a child’s moods, right?
Mood swings are hard to predict, but one thing that can help kids regulate and feel more in control of their emotions is to feel more connected to us! At their very core, a child deeply desires to feel connected to their parent/guardian. They want to be seen…heard…valued…listened to…understood…loved. They want to be noticed and they will do ANYTHING to get us to notice them…including misbehave. Behaviors like…
doing things they are not supposed to be doing
getting into things they are not supposed to be getting in to
whining
complaining
throwing tantrums
fighting with their siblings
doing poorly in school
are all behaviors that get our attention. And some kids do these behaviors JUST to get our attention. They are saying…”see me”…”notice me”…”pay attention to me”.
But what if we set aside time each day just to play with them…hang out with them…talk to them…just be with them? How would their behaviors change?
Well, definitely for the better.
smarter choices
calmer emotions
higher self-esteem
are just some of the benefits of children feeling connected to their parent/guardian and to their family.
Here are 5 Ways to Connect as a FAMILY this SPRING…
FAMILY GO-TO-THE-MOVIES NIGHT: Surprise your kids by taking them to the movie theater to watch a movie together. NOTE: To cut down on cost, go before 4pm and bring your own popcorn, candy, and drinks like I do! 🙂
FAMILY BAKE COOKIES NIGHT: Bake some cookies together and then enjoy eating them together too! You could even bake a few extra to share with a neighbor.
FAMILY HAVE-A-PARTY-FOR-NO-REASON NIGHT: Any night can be a reason for a party. One mom of 8 shared that she would randomly do a “Nacho Birthday Party” and have nachos and give each kid a little gift for no reason. How fun is that?
FAMILY PLANT FLOWERS NIGHT: Now that the weather is getting nicer, you can plant some flower together and you can water them and take care of them together and watch them grow all throughout the spring, summer, and even into the fall. Impatiens are $5-$10, and they bush out and grow quite a bit. You could even get a seed packet for a few dollars and plant seeds and watch them sprout and grow!
FAMILY KICK BALL NIGHT: Grab a ball and head to an open area for a friendly game of family kick ball. We just use jackets and shirts for the bases and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.
Pick one of these to try this weekend and put Family Time on the calendar each week throughout the spring and do something to connect. If you use none of these ideas…that’s OK. Find YOUR own way to connect as a family. So even if the weather isn’t predictable this spring season…your child will know that Family Time will be!
Here’s to some fun Family Time this spring… Christine
CHRISTINE LEEB
Child Development Specialist
We strengthen families and promote positive parent-child relationships.
For parenting questions, concerns, and support, call or text our non-emergency Parent Support Line: 920-7FAMILY (920-732 6459)
Did you know that Bullying Prevention Programs in the schools often don’t work? Why is that? Well, there are several reasons…
1. They focus way too much on bullying—what it is, what it means, ways you bully—which then ends up teaching kids how to bully. Research has shown that bullying increased after some school anti-bullying programs and some students have shared that they actually learned more ways to bully!!
2. They post signs everywhere that say: END BULLYING or DON’T BE A BULLY. What does a kids’ brain see? The words BULLY and BULLYING.
3. Bullying starts and ends at home more so than anything else. If there is no parent involvement, than nothing is going to last long. Even if a bullying prevention program “works”, it will only be short-term.
So, what’s the answer? I have a few suggestions…
Kindness is the opposite of bullying so we all need to stop talking about bullying so much and start focusing on kindness! Teaching kids about kindness—what it is, what it means, and ways you can show kindness.
Post signs EVERYWHERE about being kind. In fact, every school, grocery store, gas station, restaurant, and home should have a sign that says BE KIND.
Recognize the power of OUR influence as parents. Bullying may start at home, but kindness does too. When we focus on teaching kindness in our homes…we can make a BIG difference in spreading more kindness in this world. When we…
set boundaries around being kind…
watch things that promote kindness…
read books about kindness…
do kind things for others…
thank our kids for being kind…
ask them every night how they showed kindness in their day…
Focusing more on kindness is how bullying ends, so parents, let’s do this!! Because, together, WE can be the GREATEST Bullying Prevention Program out there.
Parent Question: What if I’m constantly yelling at my kids because they won’t do anything unless I yell??
Answer: We are human. Our kids are human. And because of that, we will all have our moments. (Trust me, I’ve had many!!) Every single one of us will lose our cool at some point because parenting is HARD. Finding enough patience is HARD. Life is HARD. And kids can be…well…HARD to deal with.
The key is to put things in place so that yelling doesn’t become a habit because it’s when we yell constantly that it becomes damaging to our relationship with our child. Trust is broken, respect is lost, and eventually kids will stop listening altogether and may even rebel.
Here are a few no-yelling strategies to try…
Be proactive: Identify times of day when you yell the most and put a plan in place in advance. Maybe it’s getting up a few minutes earlier…maybe it’s starting the bedtime routine a bit earlier too. Maybe it’s setting clear expectations and consequences BEFORE you go to a restaurant or grocery store.
Use a checklist: Checklists can empower kids of all ages to do their jobs so we don’t have to constantly remind nor lose our cool if they aren’t listening. They have a job to do and when the checklist is in charge, you can help them and encourage them and even offer small incentives for completing them (an allowance each week or extra screen time) or clear consequences for not completing it (dock in pay or loss of screen time).
Take care of your Emotional Balloon: Often times we yell at our kids simply because we are stressed about something else. In other words, our Emotional Balloon is already full even before they misbehave and then we “pop” when we may not normally have lost it, right? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve yelled because I was stressed about something else that had nothing to do with my kids and they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Taking care of your Emotional Balloon means finding healthy ways to release negative emotions and stress like walking, yoga, playing a sport, counseling, mindfulness exercises, journaling, prayer, having a date night, finding a hobby, or a night out with friends.
Stay connected: When kids feel connected to us, they will be more willing to listen and obey us and follow our advice, but did you know that when WE feel more connected to our kids, then we will have more patience with them and be more willing to speak or treat them respectfully? Plus, it just helps us like our kids more—get to know them better, understand their personalities, see their side, hear their thoughts and opinions, and build our respect for them.
When we give ourselves grace each day–recognize that we are human and our kids are human too—then we can be willing to learn new strategies, find what works for us, and make tomorrow a better day…even if it’s hard!
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT–Looking for more no-yelling tips and tools? GREAT NEWS!! We have launched our On-Demand Parenting Workshop Program where you can take our workshops free ANYTIME online!!! And guess what? Our first workshop is: NO MORE YELLING
You can watch the full workshop all at once or scroll down the page to watch it part by part if you just have time for a few minutes here and there. Plus, there is a notes packet you can print out if you’d like (but it’s not required). Go at your own pace and rewatch any parts as needed. And there will be more workshops to come! CHECK OUT NO MORE YELLING ON-DEMAND NOW!
SUGGESTIONS: Parents ask me this question often—especially parents of toddlers. When kids say “no”–no matter what their age–it can feel super irritating and make us parent out of our Parent Ego which says: “YOU CAN’T SAY “NO” TO ME!!!”, which only creates an even bigger power struggle and soon our child turns into a “No Monster” and they will use that word over and over and over to irritate us, get a rise out of us, and create a lot of conflict and chaos.
My biggest suggestion is to: Focus on the goal: Ignore the “no” completely. Take away its power. If you ask your child to pick up their toys, take out the trash, or do their homework, etc. and they say “no”, focus on the goal only of getting them to do what you have asked. I know it feels disrespectful when they say “no”, but YOU have power over how much power it has over you. Does that make sense? Otherwise, you’ll be angry about 2 things and dealing with 2 problems–them not doing what you asked them to do AND them saying “no” to you. Let’s just focus on the goal and ignore the “no”.
Here are some other suggestions for you to try and see what will work for you and your child…
For Preschoolers and Grade schoolers…Let’s say you have asked them to clean up and they say “no”…
Make it a game: See if you can engage your child in a race to see if they can pick up the toys before the timer goes off or before a song is over.
Offer teamwork and power: “Can you clean up the toys all by yourself or would you like some teamwork? or “Are you old enough to clean them all up by yourself or do you need mommy/daddy to help you?”
Use When/Then: “When the toys are cleaned up, then it will be time for Family Movie Night (or snack time or going to the park or having a tickle fight or playing electronics, etc.).
For middle schoolers and high schoolers…this age group is a bit trickier with the “no”, but remember that we still want to focus on the goal and not give the “no” any power nor let it create a power struggle.
Use humor: I heard you say “no”, but I know what you really meant to say is (and then use some silly high-pitched voice): “Sure thing, mom. I’ll get right on that.” Then you say: “Thanks, son!”
Rewind and Give them Their Lines: “Can you try that again without just saying ‘No’. That doesn’t feel respectful. Can you say: ‘Do you mind if I finish up this TV show and then I’ll put the dishes away?’ That respects you and me. Thank you.'”
Empathize and Compromise: “I know you’re playing something you’re enjoying and taking out the trash isn’t your favorite thing in the world. How about I’ll set a timer for 5 more minutes so you can finish up and then you can take care of the trash?”
Offer power: “You don’t have to do your homework right now, but what is your plan for getting it done on time?” Let them tell you their plan and then you can just hold them accountable for their own plan.
When we refuse to give the “no” any power and we focus on using other strategies to get the goal accomplished, not only can we avoid LOTS of power struggles, but more importantly, we can protect our relationship with our child…and destroy the “No Monster” for good!
Here’s to focusing on the goal…not the “no”… Christine
Black History Month kicks off this February. With any celebration or awareness-raising days, I believe their message should be carried with us throughout the year! With Thanksgiving, for example, we should be thankful and grateful EVERY DAY…not just on one day of the year. Or when my kids and I slept in a box one night a few weeks ago to raise money for the homeless, I want them to be aware, compassionate, and giving towards the homeless every night…not just one night.
So with that in mind, let’s celebrate and learn about different cultures and people—-who they are, how they contribute to our society, the very real struggles they face, and even ways we can help—as often as we can.
With respect to Black History Month, here are some ideas to learn and grow as a family…
THE TEACHING TOOL—Our primary job as a parent is to be our child’s greatest teacher. Their views of themselves, of others, and of the world are shaped by our own views.
EDUCATE OUR KIDS—Set a positive example. Take time to talk about and teach about contributions and positive role models in the African American community.
For example, did you know…
that George Crum, chef and restauranteur, invented the potato chip?
that George Washington Carver not only invented peanut butter, but also resourcefully used sweet potatoes and peanuts to invent 518 new products like ink, dye, soap, cosmetics, flour, vinegar, and synthetic rubber?
that Marie Van Brittan Brown filed a patent for the first home security system?
that Madame CJ Walker became the first self-made millionaire with her invention of hair care products for African Americans?
EDUCATE OURSELVES—Be willing to learn.Take time to educate yourself, as a parent, on the real struggles some African American families face.
No matter what color your skin is or what your background is, take time with your family or on your own to learn about and understand your own culture or those of another. And that’s what will bring more unity to this world, not just one day or one month out of the year…but EVERY day!
Lord, You are the God of peace…of harmony…of unity. Allow our hearts to align with Yours to bring light where there’s darkness…hope where there’s hopelessness…peace where there’s conflict…harmony where there’s discord…and unity where there’s division.
Here’s to bringing more unity to the world together—Christine
Since when did looking at someone become the most annoying thing in the world? My guess was when siblings were invented. LOL!
I remember growing up when my brother would draw a line in our velour car seat and tell me not to cross it (and I always would just to tick him off). I remember shouting at him to “GET OUT OF MY ROOM!!!!” I even remember us fighting over who had the most Captain Crunch Berries in our cereal bowls.
If you’re kids fight with each other…they are normal. If they argue…they are normal. If they bicker and pick and peck and poke at each other…they are normal.
Sibling rivalry is normal. It is.
Now, not to say that we can’t make it better. Not to say that we can’t put some teamwork tools in place to make it better…because we can!
But I just wanted to start by saying that it’s normal. And it’s healthy–to a certain degree–especially if we use this rivalry as a teaching tool for life.
Because there is no greater place to learn to resolve conflict, to grow in cooperation, to work with different personalities, and to understand the art of compromise than in our families!
I truly believe that’s why God brought our families together.
Sibling Rivalry gives us an opportunity to teach and encourage our kids how to work together as a team…and that’s something they will carry into their future jobs, friendships, marriages, and even into their own parenting.
So before you make a wish to the next genie you meet that sibling rivalry would just end…I hope you can see it a little differently.
And learn to handle it a little more effectively.
Here are 3 ways to encourage kinder sibling interactions…
1. Teach more…punish less: When siblings fight constantly, it can be so easy to get caught in the trap of just policing their behavior and dishing out punishments left and right. It’s exhausting and not our job. Our job is to teach. Let’s be proactive. Let’s identify the problem, pray about it, get ideas from our spouse and kids on how to solve the problem and work as a team. Then make a plan. And practice! Yes, practice sharing. Practice riding in the car without fighting. Practice using kind words with each other. Practice kindness in whatever area that they are not choosing to show kindness. Teach them what to say and what to do…even when someone looks at them funny.
2. Let them work it out: Once you’ve involved your kids in making a plan on working more as a team, give them space and time to work it out together. In fact, when I hear an argument going on, I just stay away. If someone comes running to me for help, I say “Work it out please. I know you can solve this problem as a team.” And then give them more space. It’s not easy and yet it’s so freeing. Eventually, they do work it out and then I can come in and thank them for using teamwork to solve the problem! It’s great. Now, let’s get real here…obviously, we all know to step in if there are any safety concerns, but if it’s just good ole’ normal sibling rivalry…let them work it out. And if they need more practice…practice more. Don’t settle for their disrespect.
3. Provide more time together: When kids fight all the time, the first thing some parents want to do (and understandably so) is try to separate them as much as possible. Instead, let’s provide opportunities for them to spend time together as much as possible. It is so important that kids see each other as being on the same team, and in my opinion, nothing says “team” more than time. Give them more time together as a whole family like serving the community, or doing a movie night or game night. And give them more time just as kids like letting them stay up a little later after bedtime to play a game together in one of their rooms or build a fort and watch their own movie.
Obviously giving them space is great and sometimes much-needed (especially to parents who are dealing with constantly annoying interactions), but find balance. Separate them in the moment if needed…give them time (especially those introverts) to just be alone, but always make sure there are plenty of opportunities for togetherness and fun too.
Until our kids stop looking at each other just to annoy and until our kids can stop being annoyed at someone’s look, there will always be sibling rivalry. But I hope that after you apply some of these teamwork strategies, you will hear more laughter than loud shouts and a lot less annoyance from annoying looks!
Lord, Just as You instruct us and teach us in the way we should go and counsel us with Your eye upon us (Psalm 32:8), lead us in doing the same for our children. Allow your kindness and love to flow through our homes creating brothers and sisters who respect and live in peace with one another.
Back to school time is hard every year…any year…but especially THIS YEAR!
These past 5 months have been hard—haven’t they? We have all been facing unprecedented circumstances for our generation. And our children are certainly a part of a life-changing pandemic that we have no idea about the true ramifications on their lives.
To make things even more difficult for our family…over the past 5 months, my mother-in-law’s physical and mental health quickly declined and just last week, she passed away. My husband is a teacher and because of the coronavirus and the schools being closed since March, he was able to go up and take care of her and honor her during her last days on earth. He had been gone so much over the past 24 weeks that I had a whole new appreciation for the single parent! Wow–it was exhausting for all of us.
And starting next week, I will be facilitating remote learning for all three of my children even though I was counting on having the time to dedicate to serving, teaching, and coaching families through Real Life Families and taking classes for grad school to get my master’s in Psychology–Child and Adolescent Development.
But I may not have time to do those things. My own family comes first. My job as a parent comes first. I may have to pause grad school. I may have to do less for Real Life Families. I just don’t know what I will be able to do this fall.
I know you’re probably facing some of the same dilemmas and fearing some of the same challenges too.
I have no idea what to expect from this whole remote learning thing nor do I know how long it’s going to last nor do I know if I’m going to have the patience to handle it all. But I do know that as a family, when we face potential problems, crazy challenges, or unknown circumstances, it is critical that we remember that we are a team and we can solve any problem together.
So whether your kids are doing remote learning or actually going to school this year, here are some great tools to help you and your family…
1. THE PROACTIVE TOOL: Let’s think ahead. Identify potential problems or sources of conflict IN ADVANCE. Set up expectations and consequences IN ADVANCE. If your kids are older, get them involved in setting up their own expectations and consequences about their school work. Work as a team to set healthy boundaries and find a system that will set your kids up for success. Don’t wait for problems to fester or continue to break your relationship. Solve the problem as quickly as possible and get ahead of the problems as much as possible.
2. THE ROUTINE TOOL helps you take your expectations about school work and put them into a checklist helping your kids create a routine. Kids thrive on routines. Routines help kids’ bodies and minds get into a rhythm. Routines help their day feel more predictable and provide a sense of safety and security. Plus, putting their expectations into a routine helps kids grow in responsibility and hard work. Checklists can be a great visual reminder of your expectations too.
Here are a few checklists we have used to help establish a strong routine. Feel free to print them off and use them or use them as a springboard to create your own checklist specifically for your kids. You can even get them involved in writing them or drawing or cutting out pictures for them too.
3. THE PRACTICE TOOL helps you focus on your job as a parent–teaching and training your kids…preparing them for life…to be responsible, respectful, capable human beings. If your kids aren’t meeting the expectations that you’ve set up as a team, then that simply means they need more practice. Little kids especially need practice in getting used to their new routines. Practice their routines together as a team until they feel confident to do them on their own. (This may take a while depending on your child’s personality and temperament. Be patient with them as they learn.).
But with older kids, a conversation could go like this: “Hey, I’ve noticed you haven’t been showing responsibility in getting your daily checklist done. Because your’e older and we are a team, is there anything that we need to discuss or change or that I can help you with so that you show responsibility and get your stuff done? Do we need to practice your checklist Saturday morning before you go play with your friends? Or do we need to add additional consequences? Or do you feel you’ve got this and just needed a little reminder about the importance of following through with your responsibilities?” This usually does it. If not, then practice time it is! The Practice Tool reminds us that our kids are learning and need more practice…not more punishments. Just follow through with any consequences that have been set up in advance but focus on helping them practice and improve every day.
4. THE CONNECTION TOOL is your greatest parenting tool no matter how your kids are getting their schooling done this year. Remote learning or in-person learning doesn’t change the fact that your kids will always need time with YOU! The Parent Child Connectedness (PCC) model supports The Connection Tool and is defined as the “quality of the emotional bond between parent and child and by the degree to which this bond is both mutual and sustained over time.” No matter how old our kids are, they value time with you.
Being proactive, developing a strong routine, and allowing your kids to practice that routine will definitely help make this very strange 2020 back-to-school time better. But making sure to be intentional about spending time together, building that strong relationship with your kids, and solving any problem as a team will help anything…including school work…be even better. And these tools may just be able to help you be a little bit more patient too!
And if you need help in establishing routines or handling some of this back-to-school stuff, please don’t hesitate to email me or set up a coaching session or two with me. I’m here to help!
Lord, be near us all as we transition to this back-to-school season. Guide us in finding a routine that works for our individual family. Give us patience to be the teacher to our kids that You are calling us to be—not just in school work, but in life work.
Here’s to building better families together–
Christine
My daughter is really struggling being away from me every day for Kindergarten. She loves it once she gets there and gets her day going in her classroom but dropping her off is just heartbreaking. She’s the kid screaming and crying and running back to hug me one more time and clinging to my leg. Today, they had to have two teachers pull her down the hallway to her classroom. She was screaming and crying the whole time.
It’s HARD! That’s how my day starts…every day! It totally brings me back to the days when I didn’t want to leave my mom for school either. In fact, my mom reminded me of the time when I locked her out of the car. Of course, she was wearing a robe and curlers in her hair in her version of the story. School was a struggle for me, and now it’s a struggle for my little girl.
In praying for wisdom, here’s what I’ve done, realized, said, or tried. If you have kids struggling with school or any kind of separation anxiety, I hope these tips helps you too…
First of all, our job as parents isn’t to change our children’s emotions. Our job isn’t to convince our kids to want to do something. Our job isn’t to be pushy and demanding nor telling them they should feel a certain way. “School is fun!” “You should be happy to go!” “You love to see your friends.” “You always have so much fun once you get there.” Not helpful.
Our job isn’t to make them feel shameful for how they feel “Stop it. You are the only kid crying.” “Look at you–you’re the ONLY KID crying!” Our job isn’t to compare them to other kids “Look–all your friends are going in without crying.” We definitely don’t want to plant the seed of “you do something because ALL the other kids are/aren’t doing it”. Our children are unique individuals with their own unique feelings.
We want to be a safe person who our kids can come to no matter how they feel. I don’t like it when someone tries to change how I feel or tells me I should or shouldn’t feel a certain way. I just want to be listened to…understood…empathized with. Our kids need the same from us. Our job is to empathize with them and teach them strategies for what to do when they do feel anxious.
THE EMPATHY TOOL
“I totally understand how you feel. Let’s talk more about why you feel that way.”
“I’m here to listen. Tell me how you’re feeling.”
“I know how you feel. I used to feel upset or a little nervous about going to school too. Do you want a hug?”
“It’s ok to be sad. Tell me more about your sad feelings.
Allowing kids to express their emotions actually helps to release their emotions (not suck them in and store them up for later). Plus, if you say these things with affection…you are helping their brains calm. Plus, empathy doesn’t create a power struggle like convincing does and it gives our kids the power to express their emotions and calm down when they’re ready…not because we are making them.
2. THE PRAYER TOOL
“Let’s pray together.” Remind them that God’s love and presence is always with them. They are never alone. He is always there to comfort them when they are sad or feel lonely. Help them find comfort in God’s word. Give them empowering Bible verses to memorize or write them down and put them in their backpack. The verse I used for separation anxiety was from Joshua 1:9–Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord, Your God, is with you wherever you go.
Reminding our kids that they can rely on God for comfort and peace can empower them to be confident for anything!
3. THE TEAMWORK TOOL
Let’s remind our kids that, just like God, we love them and are here to work as a team to figure out a way to make going to school better. Especially when it’s something kids have to do, we can say: “I totally understand you don’t want to go. You don’t have to want to go, but you are going to go to school. Let’s work as a team to help make it better.” I used this tool with my daughter and we came up with a list of things she can do. Remember, it’s not me forcing her not to cry, it’s me comforting her and helping her to feel strong and capable in finding a solution.
To help her remember that I’m always in her heart and she’s always in mine, we decided that we could give each other “heart hugs”. I told her whenever she felt warmth in her heart, that was me giving her a “heart hug” from home and she could do the same for me.
To help her feel close to me, we decided she could keep a picture of me or a picture of our family in an envelope for her to look at throughout the day.
4. THE AGE TOOL
Every day, our kids are a day older. And every day, we can look at that day as an opportunity to try anything again. So, yes, even though they cried yesterday at drop-off, doesn’t mean that they will or that they have to cry today. “You’re a day older today…how do you feel about going to school today? Do you think you’re old enough to walk to your classroom on your own?” I’m not trying to teach her to stop crying. Remember it’s OK for our kids to be sad…it’s OK for them to miss us. We are in no way trying to teach them that expressing their emotions are bad. But it’s the process of teaching them coping skills for when they do feel sad.
And my daughter absolutely can still cry and be sad, but it’s the fit-throwing and having to be dragged down the hallway by several teachers into her classroom that we are trying to help her through. I want to teach her to be sad, but to also be brave at the same time and show self-control. Boldness and bravery are not in the absence of sadness. They can coexist.
Kids need to know that every day, they are a day older and every day they get more and more capable, smart and confident to learn, grow, and improve.
Kids need to feel empowered that they can solve their problems and that we will be someone to comfort them, pray for them, and work as a team with them to find a solution to ease their angst.
I can’t be pushy with my daughter even though I want her to go in the school without making a scene. Pushing her–or any strong-willed kid–before she’s ready will only make things worse. It’s certainly not easy, but I do have peace that if I can be patient and focus on teaching her and empowering her…one day, she will stop crying at drop-off when she’s ready…and not a second sooner. This is her journey, and I’m just here to teach her, be patient with her, and help her through it.
Lord, give our kids the confidence they need in You. Bring peace to their anxious hearts and help us to be there to pray for them, bless them with Your word, love them, and encourage them.
