Now I consider myself a total expert in this area! Not just because I’ve done a load of research into this area, but mainly because I have a super-strong-willed daughter who will not just DO something when you ask. No, that would be too simple…. :-)
But I’ve found the way to get her to co-operate with what I need her to do (most of the time!). So here are the tactics that really work.
What is it with the hitting?! If your child is anything like mine, he or she sometimes gets into an out-of-control hitting frenzy. It could be only occasional, or maybe it’s turned into a real phase.
Actually this is very common – and it’s completely normal behaviour for toddlers and preschool kids (and even school-age kids).
So why is the hitting happening? And what can we do about it.
I know I'm sounding controversial with this week's blog title! But I'm not actually being that extreme - locking your child in the laundry is truly one of the discipline recommendations of one of the most widely accepted parenting approaches in Australia and overseas.
While there are many good things about this program, I want to take issue with this recommendation.
Why do they tell parents to lock their kids in the laundry?
So many parents tell me that getting their toddlers and preschoolers to stay in bed at night is a real challenge. For many parents, bedtime is a battle and the evenings are so loooong, as their child just keeps getting up or calling out.
The good news is that there is a LOT you can do to help them want to stay in bed and actually go to sleep!
Click through to find out WHY your child is resisting bed time - and what you can do to help them get off to sleep sooner.
What’s the hardest thing about being a parent? Do you think I’m going to say “lack of sleep”?! For me that’s definitely been up there as a massive challenge.
But, No! The hardest thing about parenting is the stress of believing that there’s something wrong with our kids and blaming ourselves for it.
When our toddler has a tantrum or our baby won’t sleep at night or our preschooler won’t eat dinner night after night, we can suffer so much about these things.
Want to know why we suffer and what you can do about it?
Sleep disruption and tiredness is THE most common challenge facing the parents I speak to and teach. It's natural for small babies to wake regularly at night for feeds and comfort, and most children take two years and sometimes more to regularly sleep through the night.
So coping with sleep disruption is a fundamental skill for parents of babies and young children! And here's where mindfulness can really help you to cut the stress of sleep loss.
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