Colleen Thompson LMFT

Therapist, Parent Coach and Author

Here are some positive tips on how to stay calm and encourage more acceptable behavior when you experience challenges with children or teens.  Positive parenting focuses on teaching children what type of behavior is acceptable.

We all desire to nurture, protect and guide our children through different stages of their lives. However, it’s not always an easy path to assist them in reaching adulthood.  As they grow and develop, there are times when our kids display undesirable or unexplainable behavior—and we don’t always know how to help them when they struggle.

Top Parenting Tips

  • Provide your children/teens with positive nurturing attention & affection at all stages and ages.

  • Have family discussions on family values & rules in the home. Learn more about how to set up Family Meetings from a parent coaching session.

  • Provide in the home & outside the home a variety of activities- limit the use of technology at all ages and stages.

  • Have realistic expectations-all rules should be known by family members and agreed upon consequences for breaking rules.

  • Avoid negative emotional reactions to your child’s behavior challenges.

  • Take care of yourself- CALM Parenting will help you and your child work together to solve problems.

  • Parent by example (model what you want to see in your children).

  • Get support for the stage of development your child or teen is going through, either a parenting group, class, or parent coach can be beneficial.