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Back Talk

by Jane Nelsen dont-back-talk-back-parents.jpg A Positive Discipline Tool Card Mrs. Henderson told her son, Jon, for the third time that evening, “You had better do your homework before it gets too late.” Jon shot back, “If it is so important to you, why don’t you do it!” Mrs. Henderson was shocked. After all, she was […]


Gratitude – A Kids Tool Card Activity

  kids-tool-cards-gratitude-cartoon.jpg An excerpt from the Positive Discipline Tools for Kids Guidebook (Coming Soon!) by Jane Nelsen, Aisha Pope, Mary Nelsen Tamborski, and Lois Ingber Today is Thanksgiving! A day to express our gratitude for the many blessings in our life. We recently released our new Kids Tool Cards which has a card specifically designed to […]


Understand the Brain Using the Palm of Your Hand

In their book, Parenting From the Inside Out (Tarcher/Penguin, 2004) Daniel Siegel and Mary Hartzell present an elegant and refreshingly (to us non-brain-scientists) understandable explanation of brain processes. In our Positive Discipline classes with both parents and teachers of children, this model remains one of the most useful and remembered tools. It’s called “Brain in the […]


New Positive Discipline Tools for Kids

  a701-small.jpg The purpose of the Positive Discipline Tools for Kids program is to help children develop important life skills to encourage themselves and each other. Suggestions for using these cards: 1.) Keep the cards in a special basket for kids to access. 2.) Choose one card to practice every week. 3.) During a family […]


The Wheel of Choice

wheel-of-choice-parents.jpg Focusing on solutions is a primary theme of Positive Discipline, and kids are great at focusing on solutions when they are taught the skills and are allowed to practice them. The wheel of choice provides a fun and exciting way to involve kids in learning and practicing problem-solving skills, especially when they are involved […]


Hugs: A Positive Discipline Tool Card

by Jane Nelsen, author of the Positive Discipline series   hugs-tool-card-web-2016.jpg This tool card provides an example of asking for a hug when a child is having a temper tantrum, but that is certainly not the only time a hug can be an appropriate intervention when you understand the principle of hugs. Later, I’ll share […]


Allowances Can Teach the Life Skill of Money Management

allowance-parents.jpg   by Dr. Jane Nelsen The Johnson family was about to complete their weekly grocery shopping when five-year-old Jimmy started coaxing for a toy car. Mom asked politely, “Have you saved enough money from your allowance to buy it?” Jimmy looked sad and said, “No.” Mom suggested, “Maybe you would like to save your […]


THE THREE Rs OF RECOVERY

A Positive Discipline Tool Card 3rs-parents.jpg It is much easier to take responsibility for a mistake when it is seen as a learning opportunity rather than something to be ashamed of. If we see mistakes as bad we tend to feel inadequate and discouraged and may become defensive, evasive, judgmental, or critical of others or […]


Logical Consequences

by Jane Nelsen Logical consequences are different from Natural Consequences in that they require the intervention of an adult—or other children in a family meeting or a class meeting. It is important to decide what kind of consequence would create a helpful learning experience that might encourage children to choose responsible cooperation. For example, Linda […]


FOCUS ON SOLUTIONS

focus-on-solutions.jpg Many parents and teachers have reported that power struggles are greatly reduced when they focus on solutions. Focusing on solutions creates a very different family and classroom. Your thinking and behavior will change, and so will the thinking and behavior of your children. The theme for focusing on solutions is: What is the problem and what […]