Positive Discipline Parenting Blog
Sproutable's Positive Discipline blog.
Real tips. Real talk. Read & grow.
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When your teenager shuts you out
Parenting teens can sometimes feel like a constant balancing act. One moment, you might feel close to your child, only to be met with resistance, frustration, or distance in the next. This was exactly what[...]By Casey O'Roarty
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When your teenager shuts you out
Parenting teens can sometimes feel like a constant balancing act. One moment, you might feel close to your child, only to be met with resistance, frustration, or distance in the next. This was exactly what one parent shared recently. Their 13-year-old daughter, while generally a good kid, was shutting them out—silent treatments, ignored texts, and […]By Casey O'Roarty
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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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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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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.By Danielle Taylor
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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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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.By Danielle Taylor
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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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Opening Up to Your Resistance
When I work with parents, lots of families resonate with the idea of letting go and being open & present with their children. But in reality, we spend so much of our time resisting in parenting. We hold onto a vision that we’ve created for our children - a narrative, an expectation, an attitude about how things should play out. This isn’t even in our consciousness; we often don’t even realize we’re holding onto these ideas.By Casey O'Roarty
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Liar, Liar: Why I Don’t Stress When my Nanny Kids Fib
Something I see pop up occasionally in online nannying groups is concern & frustration over nanny kiddos telling lies. I totally get it; nobody likes being lied to! I see suggestions of taking things away, lecturing & punishing, forced apologies, and even trying to scare kids out of lying. In fact, I remember being told “you’ll go to hell if you tell a lie” when I was a young child, and it was terrifying! I’ll offer you a different solution: let it go.By Danielle Taylor
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