Positive Discipline Parenting Blog

Teaching Body Positivity to Nanny Kids

I remember feeling absolutely gutted when the sweet kindergartener I used to nanny for made a passing comment about her “big tummy” as we were reading books together one afternoon. I was heartbroken, shocked, and absolutely froze. I wanted to say, “No! You don’t have a big tummy! And even if you did, big tummies are amazing! You’re perfect and beautiful and strong!” But I had no idea if that was “the right” thing to say at that moment. Honestly, I can’t even remember what I said, but her comment has certainly stuck with me. The next time this happens, I do know what I’m going to say.

Turning nap strike into genius hour

By the age of 3, your child has approached many amazing milestones. They are scootering, potty training, running, hopping, even coloring and telling jokes and stories. With all this development comes a price- nap strike! It is common for children around the age of 3 (usually right before) to “drop the nap.” Don’t be fooled! […]

Connecting with Early Elementary Schoolers

A huge tenet of Positive Discipline is building & nurturing the relationship between you and the child(ren) you care for. We call this connection. Some connection-building is instant and easy: you’ll end up bonding with just about any child in your circle, but if you find yourself in power struggles or asking “why aren’t they listening to me?” then it’s time to focus on building connection.

Promoting Flexibility in Children

Something we’re always coming back to in Positive Discipline are the long-term goals and the traits we hope to see in the kiddos we care for once they reach adulthood. One life skill that I choose to focus on is being flexible. I’m not always the most flexible person in the room, and on occasion, I can miss out on something fun because I wasn’t being flexible enough. The good news for me, though, is that working with children gives me lots of opportunities to model, practice, and grow my own flexibility muscles.

Kids are SO Brave

I went down a slide last week and ended up having a huge realization that I haven’t stopped thinking about since. I was with my two nanny kiddos at a trampoline park, and we were having a total blast. Unlike me, they’re both natural athletes and love being at the trampoline park. I was following them, watching them do all kinds of crazy flips & jumps, and snapping pics to send to their parents when they started asking me if I wanted to go down the big slide.

Three Time-Tested Positive Discipline Tools for Nannies

One of my all-time favorite Positive Discipline books is “Positive Discipline Parenting Tools” which Dr. Jane Nelsen wrote with two of her adult children, Mary Tamborski & Brad Ainge. This book breaks down each of the 49 unique tools that we use in Positive Discipline with stories & examples. While this book is written with parents in mind, the content and all of the tools are relevant and applicable to nannies & other caregivers too.