Positive Discipline Parenting Blog
Sproutable's Positive Discipline blog.
Real tips. Real talk. Read & grow.
Latest post
8 Fun Things to do with an 8 Year Old
I’ve always been drawn towards working with young children, and I simply don’t have as much experience with the older elementary crowd that I do with the littles. Luckily, because of Positive Discipline, I know[...]By Danielle Taylor
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Getting out of our teen’s way
Something that keeps coming up in my class and in my own parenting is the power of the tension of life. I’ve been thinking about how Jessica Lahey and Ned Johnson both talk about getting out of our kid’s way. We have to get out of the way so our kids can feel the tension […]By Casey O'Roarty
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Getting curious about the Belief Behind Behavior
A few years back I did an interview with Alison Smith. It touched on the importance of finding the need beneath the behaviors we see. I also often reference the iceberg metaphor - the idea that behavior we’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg, and if we can go under the surface and really get to what's fueling the behavior, we can make lasting, sustainable change in our home environment.By Casey O'Roarty
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Exploring “Is This Positive Discipline?”
A lot of parents and caregivers who read my blogs or listen to my podcast are interested in Positive Discipline philosophy but haven’t actually taken a Positive Discipline class or program. You might hear some things that inspire you, but you may be asking, “Is this Positive Discipline?” I know it can feel unclear, so I want to break it down so you know some criteria about if you’re handling things the Positive Discipline way. Know that I’m not here to judge! It’s not about being a perfect parent, it’s about sharing information and guidance to support you if you’re heading in a Positive Discipline direction in your home and with your kids.By Casey O'Roarty
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Why I teach my nanny kids how to do things for themselves
If we want our nanny charges to learn life skills, we start by explicitly teaching those skills. Nobody just knows how to do laundry or scramble an egg - even basic life skills need to be taught clearly and explicitly with step-by-step training. Typically, the best way to do this is to model and narrate, then move into doing the task together, then the child does it while you supervise, and eventually the child is ready to do that task on their own. Think about making your bed, it seems pretty simple, right? Well, maybe notBy Danielle Taylor
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Talking to kids about friendships
There was a time, maybe you remember this too, when we were taught to be friends with everybody. Being nice, getting along, and not creating conflict was rewarded with approval from the adults, and led to confusion for the kids. They knew it wasn’t that simple. There were kids that they just didn’t vibe with, […]By Julietta Skoog
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How does firmness show up for you?
Something that’s been coming up with my clients lately, as well as in my own life, is firmness. I was on a call this morning with other Positive Discipline trainers, and we were asked to think about the difference between authoritative parenting and authoritarian parenting, specifically around firmness.By Casey O'Roarty
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Five Phrases to Leave in 2022
One thing I’m always trying to improve on is my language and communication with children. I invite you to consider these five phrases that well-intentioned adults use with kids and offer some alternatives that might be worth trying out.By Danielle Taylor
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When nanny kids miss their parent
“I WANT MY MAMA!” We’ve all been there- watching your nanny kiddos meltdown because they miss their parents. How can we best support our charges, both beforehand and in the moment, when they’re missing their parents? Here are my 5 tools to help nanny kids when they miss their parent or caregiver.By Danielle Taylor
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The Power of the Perfect Children’s Book
One of the hardest parts of parenting is helping our young children navigate their emotional roller coasters. Yet big emotions are a necessary part of their development. It helps them communicate when they don’t have the words or the skills to stay regulated, solve problems, face fears, deal with disappointment or frankly navigate all their young brains are learning and processing. It is a lot.By Julietta Skoog
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A Day as a Positive Discipline Nanny
Being a Positive Discipline nanny truly makes my job so much smoother & more enjoyable! I often say that after being trained in Positive Discipline, I feel like I’m playing on easy mode. This is the true story of how I saw Positive Discipline showing up for me and my nanny kiddos on what had the potential to be a pretty awful Monday.By Danielle Taylor
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