9/29/2017 0 Comments R.E.S.P.E.C.Tby Pia Mattix Davis From birth, our children deserve to be respected as humans and as individuals in the choices that we make for them. Until they develop a voice of their own, we must consciously consider how our choices affect their lives. A baby who is sensitive to lights and sounds should not be subjected to a noisy concert or worship service, and a toddler who is fearful of new people should not be forced to sit in Great Aunt Gertrude’s lap.
As adults, if we don’t like loud venues, we have the choice to remain at home. If we don’t want to hug a stranger, once again, we can make the choice to shake hands or simply say hello and remain with the confines of our personal space.
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9/28/2017 0 Comments OUR HOUSE, OUR RULESAs parents, it is our responsibility to provide a home for our children. It is not my home, or their home, but our home. Our children should not feel as if they are guests in a house in which they can claim no rights. A home can’t properly function without rules, and a home with too many rules can feel like a prison.
Balance and communication are essential to creating rules that will allow our children to thrive in the home. As a family, we should implement boundaries and restrictions that serve to guide our children on their journey, instead of those that stifle their growth. 9/27/2017 0 Comments DO AS I SAY
I was raised in a home in which the phrase “Do as I say, and not as I do”, was a primary parenting philosophy. From premarital sex, to lying and everything in between I was expected to adhere to a moral standard which was not upheld in the home that my mother provided. At a young age I was confused, and as I grew I began to view her as a hypocrite.
I am not perfect, and I don’t profess to be, but I strive to live the life that I want my children to emulate. I can’t hold them to any standard which I myself can’t maintain. 9/26/2017 0 Comments Just one Wordby Pia Mattix Davis Let’s be real. It is completely normal and understandable that our children will get on our last nerve. Unlike our adult friends (who also can get on our last nerve) who recognize when we need space and back off, our children don’t or even if they do, their needs come before ours.
Sometimes we aren’t in the mood to parent, but unfortunately we can’t pick and choose when we want to engage with our children. Even at those moments, when deep down in the back of our mind, we want to tell them to get lost, we can’t. As a wife, I would be devastated if my husband told me to scram when I needed him. At moments such as these, it is wise to have a word or phrase to say to your children that will help to change your perspective. When I am frustrated most, I tell my boys that (word omitted in the event that my children find this page). This simple phrase forces me to stop and consider my words to ensure that I even when disciplining, I am building them up and not tearing them down. 9/25/2017 0 Comments It's All About Usby Pia Mattix Davis At the bare minimum, Positive Parenting is nothing more than how we respond to our children. We as parents must control our emotions, and speak to our children with patience, compassion, and respect at all times. Childhood is a time of tremendous learning and growth, and our children require guidance and redirection during these formative years. Our children need safe spaces in which they can make mistakes and receive advice and discipline that will guide them as they grow into men and women. We must extend the same patience and grace to our children that we would like to receive from our employers and our spouses.
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Lose ControlParenting Strategies to help move the focus from the child's behavior to the parent's response. Archives
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