Sometimes my kids push me too far. They mistake my amicable mood as a sign of weakness and try to take advantage of it. That’s when I have to pull the reigns back and deliver a little reminder of who is boss. For example, over the last week or so, the kids have been coming in from school and tossing their belongings wherever is most convenient for them. I cannot tell you how many backpacks, shoes and jackets I have tripped over recently. They pay no mind to my efforts to keep the house picked up and in some kind of order. They grab snacks, …read more

What is the most useful weapon in killing the horrid greed monster that often grips children?
My son just turned eight. During the week of his birthday, he went to Disneyland, Chuck E. Cheese and got breakfast in bed. Still, he found things to complain about. He even went so far as to say, “This is the worst birthday ever!” Something in me snapped. The realization that I had enabled his greedy attitude by giving into his every birthday whim, came back around and bit me right in the butt. He’s not the only child in our family who has displayed such a despicable attitude of greed. …read more

 
With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, I thought that it might be nice to focus on ideas that inspire parents to spread a little more love and positivity around the home. Being a disciplinarian doesn’t mean you have to be mean. In fact, acting kindly on a regular basis, makes it easier to enforce discipline and create a greater respect for parental authority. My Peer Leadership teacher once gave a lecture on the importance of feeding each other with positivity. He made the point that all people walk around with an emotional collection bin. Every action or comment that is made toward them, during the …read more