Positive Discipline Parenting Blog

Sproutable's Positive Discipline blog.

Real tips. Real talk. Read & grow.

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Five Things to Remember in the Tough Moments with Kids

Nannying is undoubtedly the best job I’ve ever had.  I truly love nannying.  Nonetheless, there are still tough days with kids, and more frequently, tough moments.  The best nannies and the sweetest kiddos still have[...]

By Danielle Taylor

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Five Things to Remember in the Tough Moments with Kids

Nannying is undoubtedly the best job I’ve ever had.  I truly love nannying.  Nonetheless, there are still tough days with kids, and more frequently, tough moments.  The best nannies and the sweetest kiddos still have conflict, challenges, bad moods, and miscommunication.  Here are five reminders that have helped me get through those extra tough moments […]

By Danielle Taylor

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Infant Nap Transitions

Infant naps change drastically over the first few years of life. As your little one grows, so do their sleep needs. See below for practical insights to help you smoothly navigate the first year of baby’s nap changes, ensuring both you and your baby rest easy during the transitions.

By Jade Folk

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Winning Cooperation or Winning a Power Struggle? 

In Positive Discipline, we talk about “winning cooperation” from the children we work with. Why would we spend our time & extra effort on “winning cooperation” over just fostering obedience? Why do you want to win cooperation instead of winning the power struggle?

By Danielle Taylor

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How to Stop Negative Interaction Cycles in Relationships

We all fall into repetitive patterns of relating to our partner or our children. This is normal. I call them cycles of interaction, or cycles for short. These cycles can be positive and promote connection. These cycles can also feel like negative ruts that prevent connection, and leave us feeling frustrated with ourselves, with the other person, with the situation, or all of the above!

By Guest

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When Kids Say Really Mean Things to Nannies

Nothing can prepare you for that first time a nanny charge says hurtful things to you. You would think it gets easier but it never does. You are human after all, with feelings too. It is so hard to imagine that even at 3, 4 or 5 years old that vitriol will come out of […]

By Julietta Skoog

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When Kids Say Really Mean Things

Nothing can prepare you for that first time your child says hurtful things to you. You would think it gets easier but it never does. You are human after all, with feelings too. It is so hard to imagine when they are sweet little babes in your arms that vitriol will come out of their mouths…maybe as teenagers, but that is so far away. You have time. Nope.

By Julietta Skoog

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Navigating Sleep Regressions in Your Little One’s Developmental Journey 

I once worked with a family whose child, an eccentric 18-month-old, was learning a new song. They told me that every night for three nights in a row, their child would wake up in the middle of the night and belt out her new song. While the parents were simultaneously sleep-deprived and charmed by this […]

By Jade Folk

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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.

By Danielle Taylor

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Dealing with our Parenting Triggers

What is a trigger?  Trigger. There’s a difference between being uncomfortable and being triggered.  Some people say triggers have to be very traumatic, like PTSD.  I’m going to use trigger in a broader sense here.  We talk about being triggered by content, by media, by each other, by our children.  I really appreciate this definition from […]

By Casey O'Roarty

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3 tips for teaching kids to be a good sport

“That’s not fair” “You cheated!” “I never win!” Sound familiar?  Most kids have a tough time navigating games where there is a clear winner, or when they feel a sense of unfairness. This is because they are still learning! Getting comfortable with losing, being flexible with not going first or getting the color game piece they want, and having patience taking turns all takes LOTS of practice. It is still cognitively challenging for young children to see “fairness” because they are still growing into their capacity for perspective taking, which is why it is important to start now!

By Julietta Skoog

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