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Spend Special Time

How Do You Spend Time That Counts?   Excerpt from Positive Discipline for Teenagers, by Jane Nelsen and Lynn Lott     b110-revised.jpg DURING THE TEEN years, when your children spend less and less time with you, it’s more important than ever to connect in ways that really count. Unfortunately, there are several conditions that make […]


Decide What You Will Do For Teachers

Excerpt from Positive Discipline Tools for Teachers by Dr. Jane Nelsen and Dr. Kelly Gfroerer b132.jpg Decide what you will do, not what you will try to make students do. It is usually most effective to get students involved in decisions. However, sometimes it is appropriate to decide what you will do. Examples: “I will post […]


Connecting With the World

Connection is a key concept of Positive Discipline, and 2019 was all about connecting with people around the world who are creating respectful relationships in homes and schools. Read the stories below about some of our highlights this past year. medellin-social.jpg Positive Discipline in Medellín, Colombia On October 19th, during Jane Nelsen´s visit to Medellín, […]


Parenting Teens: How Do You Know When Your Child Becomes a Teen?

The following is an excerpt from the book, Positive Discipline for Teenagers by Jane Nelsen and Lynn Lott. You know you have a teenager when you hear yourself complaining, “She has no purpose. He won‘t help. She only cares about her friends. He is so self-centered. Her room is a mess. I can‘t trust him. […]


Is Something Tougher than Positive Discipline Needed?

dejected-boy.jpg Question: I am the mother of a 3-year-old boy (his birthday is actually tomorrow) and he is also a student in my Montessori school. Over the year he has been at school we have had many challenges with me being “around” a lot and never really having that separation from me that other kids get. […]


No More Logical Consequences (at least hardly ever) Focus On Solutions

by Dr. Jane Nelsen During a class meeting, students in a fifth grade class were asked to brainstorm logical consequences for two students who didn’t hear the recess bell and were late for class. Following is their list of “consequences:” Make them write their names on the board. Make them stay after school that many […]


What Do You Want For Your Children?

An activity from The Positive Discipline Workbook by Jane Nelsen   Click Here to Download a PDF Version of this activity.   When embarking upon the journey into Positive Discipline, it helps to have a destination in mind, and a road map to help you get there. Creating a list of characteristics and life skills […]


Five-Year-Old Lying and Constantly in Trouble

Question: Hi, I have a daughter who just turned 5 and a 20-month-old son. My daughter is constantly giving us trouble, at home and at day care. I’ll start with…she actually bit someone a few weeks ago at school. I couldn’t believe it at her age. Then when I asked her who she bit, she […]


I love you, AND the answer is, “No.”

by Dr. Jane Nelsen   Rudolf Dreikurs taught the importance of being both Kind and Firm in our relations with children. Kindness is important in order to show respect for the child. Firmness is important in order to show respect for ourselves and for the needs of the situation. Authoritarian methods usually lack kindness. Permissive […]


18 WAYS TO AVOID POWER STRUGGLES

power-struggle.png by Jane Nelsen   Power struggles create distance and hostility instead of closeness and trust. Distance and hostility create resentment, resistance, rebellion (or compliance with lowered self-esteem). Closeness and trust create a safe learning environment. You have a positive influence only in an atmosphere of closeness and trust where there is no fear of […]