A wise parent once told me that the primary purpose of discipline is to teach a lesson. Of course, some kids take longer to learn lessons than others. Consequently, if you are looking for instant results, you may be in for a frustrating haul. A series of recent events had me revisiting the discipline talk I had with said wise parent. My 8-year-old is killing me with her lies. Granted, most of the untruths she tells are minor, but at times her condition seems pathological. After brushing it off for a while, I decided that disciplining her was my only … Continue reading →

Do you look good in stripes? Most women shun wearing clothing covered with unattractive lines, yet when they have kids it seems they are forced to don the referee uniform more than they would like. After a while, though, some refuse the task and leave it up to their warring offspring to solve their own disputes. How often do you allow your children to resolve their own clashes? Moreover, how often does the technique work? Personally, I am not opposed to having children resolve issues amongst themselves. However, I think you are kidding yourself if you think young children possess … Continue reading →

One of the toughest challenges of parenting is disciplining kids. And as if knowing, when, where, and how much to dole out weren’t tough enough, there are times when you are also forced to figure out who is responsible when more than one child is involved in an altercation, so that you are disciplining the right kid. For example, say you are making dinner in the kitchen while your kids are “playing” in the basement. Suddenly, your peaceful salad-making routine is shattered by your son screaming, “Moooooooom, she pushed me into the TV!” This is immediately followed by your daughter … Continue reading →