The most frustrating part of being a parent is when it becomes groundhog day - when the same challenging situations seem to happen every day without any improvement. Do you experience chaos in the morning or nighttime or tantrums that happen anytime you say “no?” Maybe your child has an outburst when it is time to do homework and when you tell him/her to clean up.

What if there was a way to do things differently? To say things differently so that your child responds in a better way?

What if you could arrange the situation so that your child listens without tantruming?

It is completely possible to learn different ways of setting up routines, presenting demands, and responding to behavior. But, to do so, requires that you take the time to pay attention to what is happening and to consider another way of doing things.

The first step is to become aware of how you are responding to your child’s behavior. Notice the patterns of your child’s behavior and your responses to that behavior. Identify the situations that are frustrating to you and your child as well as the skills and behaviors your child is not showing consistently. Consider that there may be a better way to deal with situations so that challenging behaviors and situations improve. Talk to friends and consult experts to find the best new approach for you.

Remember that you are not going to respond perfectly every time. And, feel good about yourself as a parent when you utilize a different approach to your child’s behavior and it works!