The Debate Over Using Time-Outs

Properly Using Time-Outs Whether to use time-outs with children or not has become nearly as polarizing as whether to vaccinate children, letting babies cry-it-out, and spanking. If you admit to using time-outs with children on social media you will be criticized for rejecting toddlers and preschoolers at the time they need your attention the most […]

5 Reasons to Ditch Distraction

No Bad Kids by Janet Lansbury I am reading No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame by Janet Lansbury who teaches the importance of toddler discipline based on the RIE principles of Magda Gerber. Ms. Lansbury explains why using redirection or distraction is not a good way to handle misbehavior in children for the long-term. […]

Why Kids Don’t Listen When You Say “No”

Don’t Allow Kids to Negotiate In the book, Ignore It!: How Selectively Looking the Other Way Can Decrease Behavioral Problems and Increase Parenting Satisfaction author Catherine Pearlman explains that giving attention to children doesn’t necessarily mean happier and healthier kids. Selective ignoring bad, attention seeking behaviors helps minimize or eliminate the unwanted behaviors and increases […]

8 Things to Do When Kids Don’t Respect You or Your Job

How to React to Disrespectful Nanny Kids I have often heard little kids yelling at their nannies saying they can get them fired when they are angry with them. I have also heard children yell, “I don’t have to listen to you! You are only a nanny!” When I have asked some kids to clean […]

Use Natural Consequences to Discipline Children

Respecting Professional Boundaries The time to discuss with your employers how you will discipline their children is well before starting a nanny job, during the job interview. For discipline to be effective it is essential that parents and nannies are on the same page. All caregivers must be consistent and back one another other up. […]

How Kids Bully Their Nannies and Parents

“Permission to Parent: How to Raise Your Child with Love and Limits” I just read a great article that explained that it used to be that kids were scared of their parents. Now parents seem scared of their kids. That’s how I sometimes feel when it comes to disciplining the kids left in my care […]

How To Use Time-Outs With Toddlers

Heidi Murkoff’s Way to Teach Limits In the book What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Fourth Edition by Heidi Murkoff the author explains that got an opinion on this controversial topic of time-outs, but done right, time-outs can be an effective way to teach limits. Murkoff says that the key is to think of time-out not […]

Have You Ever Worked for Parents That Punish Their Kids Too Much?

Working for Authoritarian Parents Authoritarian parenting is also called strict parenting. Parents who adopt this parenting style are demanding of their children, but not particularly responsive to their children’s needs and concerns. These parents have high expectations for their children to conform to a set of rules of behavior. When their children violate these rules, […]

CREATIVE WAYS TO ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO BEHAVE

Fun Ways to Reward ChildrenWe started discussing positive discipline last week. Here are some creative ways to encourage children to behave properly. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/behavior/201.html Beat the Clock: Good method for a dawdling child.Ask the child to do a task. Set a timer. If the task is done before the timer rings, your child gets a reward. […]

Positive Attention For Nannies and Au Pairs

The Power of Positive Attention To continue the conversation about discipline we have posted an article about positive attention below. http://www.daic.org/Tips.html Positive attention reassures children, builds self-esteem, and creates a happier environment for the whole family. [Caregivers] should: 1. Make positive attention specific: Tell [the] child exactly what he or she did that you liked. […]