Power Struggles with a 4-year-old
Here’s the thing about power struggles: once they’ve started, you’ve lost. The only cure is prevention. You can’t prevent all of them, but you can reduce the likelihood that they will happen.
Here’s the thing about power struggles: once they’ve started, you’ve lost. The only cure is prevention. You can’t prevent all of them, but you can reduce the likelihood that they will happen.
Some kids do fine with broad choices, but all children need to learn to make decisions on their own, and the safest place to do that is with you.
Babies don’t have the skills necessary to communicate or imagine consequences. Even when we understand what they are trying to say, we aren’t always able to meet their demands.
Sometimes kids are a little wound up when they come home. Let your child be the boss during this transition. It will set the stage for cooperation later in the evening.
Modeling is the best teacher. Even if you use the word “no” sparingly, you’re going to hear it repeated back to you.
Set aside notions of authority and independence, control and permissiveness, and instead focus on making a solid connection.
We say horrible things, grab too hard, react too strongly, and hurt the ones we love most. There are moments we can’t take back, no matter how fervently we wish to erase them. How do we move on, learn from our mistakes and earn forgiveness?