How To Talk to Kids so Kids Will Listen

Topic areas covered include

1. Helping Children Deal with Their Feelings

  An exploration of what happens to children when their feelings are denied. Specific skills that help children to recognize and cope with their negative feelings-disappointment, envy, frustration, resentment, anger, etc. Ways to accept children's feelings, limit unacceptable behavior, and still maintain goodwill.

2. Engaging Cooperation

  How children react to commonly used methods to get them to cooperate: threats, warnings, orders, name-calling, sarcasm, lecturing, etc. Five ways to invite cooperation that will leave parents and children feeling good about themselves and each other.

3. Alternatives to Punishment

  How do children normally react to punishment? Is it necessary to rely on punishment as a means of discipline? Some alternatives to punishment that enable parents to express their strong disapproval as well as encourage children to assume responsibility for their behavior.

4. Encouraging Autonomy

  Ways to help children become separate, responsible people who can one day function on their own. Specific skills that help children to become more self-reliant.

5. Praise

  An exploration of the kinds of praise that build a positive and realistic self-image-and the kinds that do not. A variety of ways to help our children become aware of their strengths so that they can put them into action.

6. Freeing Children from Playing Roles

  A look at how children are sometimes cast into roles (bully, whiner, dawdler, mischief-maker, etc.) and how we can free them from playing out these roles. Six skills that help children see themselves in a different and more positive light.