Have you ever felt so frustrated you give your kids random consequences like, "You're grounded for the next 2 months!" or "No tv for the next week"? I'll be the first to admit I was guilty of this and I'm wondering if you can relate.
Discovering consequences that work can be hard, but there is an underlying process that I coach parents through that gives them more control in these situation. Here's four steps I offer to my clients and I'm hoping they'll help you too!
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"My stepkids come into our bedroom all the time, even when I need some quiet time to work on my college classwork. How can I change things?"
This question was recently posed by a stepmom who adores her stepchildren but needs her bedroom to be a quiet spot for uninterrupted studying. I love that she wants to find a way to study while not making the kids feel shut out completely. My response is filled with strategies to help her find a balance between her little one wanting h
"My husband doesn't think his kids should do chores when they visit on their weekends here." --Sue, wife of Mark and stepmom to 2 boys The topic of chores can be a breaking point for some stepcouples. This may seem like an overly dramatic statement, but I've seen it be the source of frustration and never ending arguments for some stepfamilies. I understand the frustration. Mark wants to make sure the limited time he has with his kids is full of fun. He doesn't want to be nag