Category Archive:
Effective communication

Be Prepared for Cousin Chaos

be prepared for cousin chaos

Holidays are times for large family gatherings. Often times family get-togethers have mild to horrible cases of cousin chaos. Cousins, who may see each other infrequently, vie for adults’ attention along with trying to figure out who’s who in the pecking order of the family. Little wonder that craziness can ensue. More than once, my […]


Using Positive Statements with Children

using positive statements

“If I tell Ginny not to do something, she just looks me in the eye and does it. She seems defiant,” Sam, Ginny’s dad, told me at a company picnic. Ginny, an almost four-year-old curly-headed brunette, ran over from the swings at the park. “Ginny, how about playing a little game with me? I’m going […]


Four Strategies to Deal with Problems

four strategies to deal with problems

At a recent seminar, our speaker presented the idea that there are four basic strategies to deal with any problem: Ignore, Resolve, Manage and Prevent. At first, the list appeared overly simplistic. Could ignoring a problem be an effective strategy? After some reflection, I recognized that ignoring a problem is a powerful strategy. Not every […]


Using Natural and Logical Consequences to Teach

using natural and logical consequences to teach

Choices. Everyday we make choices. It is from making choices that we learn responsibility and how to behave. When we choose unwisely and experience the consequences of our choices, the lessons we learn are more powerful than any lecture or punishment. If we as parents are savvy, we can use natural and logical consequences as […]


I-Messages Help Teach Expected Behavior

“Tom drives me crazy,” Caroline said as she went on and on about how upset she was with her son’s behavior. “When did you decide to let your son drive you crazy?” I asked. “What are you talking about? I’m in control of my emotions.” “I thought I heard you say Tom drives you crazy.” […]


What’s Your Child’s Learning Style Preference?

what's your child's learning style

There are four basic ways we take in and process information: Visual involving the eyes, Auditory regarding hearing, Kinesthetic with movement Tactile using touch, taste and smell Each of us has preferences in the way we take in information. Most of us are highly visual, therefore much of our learning and teaching methods are visually […]


Engaging Cooperation

Engaging Cooperation

When we get into a hurry to have something done, we often offer a reward to the person who gets the job done first. Years ago, I read about a sales organization that had restructured its reward system. In the past the company had always given a trip to their top three salespeople. Historically there […]


Remember Happy Times with Family Pictures

remember happy times with family pictures

Max was hosting a Christmas party in his new home. Recently married, this was Max’s first gathering of friends since both of his parents had died. Max’s mother and father had always hosted an open house, and Max wanted to continue the tradition. Upon our arrival, Max gave us a tour of his new home. […]


Be Proactive and Choose How You’ll Parent

Be Proactive and Choose How you'll Parent

“If I have to go to another staff meeting and hear about being proactive, I might react negatively,” Ann said as she took off her coat at the coffee shop. “Enough about me. Tell me what you’ve been writing.” I laughed. Ann probably didn’t want to hear about this column, but her comments strengthened my […]