Bumps Along the Way? You Bet, But Don’t Give Up!

Whenever a parent pulls out a NEW strategy to try on their kids, it’s a sure bet the kids are going to test it. And I say BRAVO to that. It means you are raising a thinking kid.

What’s important to know before you try anything new with your kids is this – Kids are going to resist. They are going to push back. After all, they have you – us – trained. They know how much to push and when to back off, they know what voice to use and when to remain silent. They know whether crying will work or screeching will get them what they want. They know how many times you will remind before you are serious and that if they wait long enough, you’ll cool down and reconsider your position.

So it’s understandable that when you bring the Parenting On Track™ program – well, things are likely to get worse, before they get better. The good news is – thing are going to get a whole-lot-better so it will be worth a bit of discomfort at the beginning.

Before you get started implementing any new strategy consider these tips.

• Every strategy you try either
  • Enhances the Relationship you have with your kids or Interferes with it.
  • Supports their march towards independence or interrupts their opportunities to become independent and self-sufficient.
• When you change what YOU do, the kids change what THEY do. Yes – it starts with YOU!
• The goal of any parenting strategy is to create new HABITS – Habits that will last a lifetime.
• Take the time to DECIDE what you want today, tomorrow and next year, before you implement any new strategy.
• Give changes in your parenting and the way you are handling challenges time to work before you switch tactics mid-stream.
• Set realistic goals – if your kids spend 60% of their time together fighting, NO strategy will eliminate all of it in 4 days. Look for progress and improvement.
• Thinking parents (as in thinking about the relationship and what really matters) raise thinking children who invest time, energy and love into the relationship they have with their parents.

Raising kids is about more than just “getting” the to pick up, do as their told and making us look good. The Parenting On Track™ program is designed to help parents enjoy the time they have with their kids while they are young and ensure that they are ready to leave home at 18 with the confidence and enthusiasm needed to live satisfying and enjoyable lives.