5 Secrets to Building More Influence With Kids

Most of the time our efforts to combat negative behavior get caught up in COMBAT. Tears and exhaustion reign and power rules.

Whose power is ruling, though? It depends on the day.

You might hear a "No" - especially a repeated NO - and assume your child wants to cause trouble or get his way. You may regard this kind of behavior as a threat to your authority and sense willful disobedience. 

What To Do When Kids Won't Share

We went through a brief phase of non-stop Barney videos when my daughter was three-and-a-half, and we were driving back home to Los Angeles.

"Sharing is caring!" played on a loop for the entire cross-country trip.

According to the imaginary purple dinosaur, "Sharing is the true measure of friendship."

However, what happens when your kids don't want to share? 

5 Ways You Can Let Natural Consequences Teach

Do mornings at your house ever sound something like this?

Get dressed!
You're going to be late.
I need you to get your shoes on!
Why haven't you brushed your teeth yet?
Why are you messing around?
You have to finish your breakfast.
It's time to leave.
Here, here are some socks.
Put them on.
Don't you know where your backpack is?
I'll grab your lunch.
Now you're going to be late.

I stumbled upon this thought-provoking video from a TED conference where Sir Ken Robinson addresses the lack of arts and dance in our educational systems around the world. He surmises that schools are actually killing creativity and crushing the natural talents that all children are born with.

I agree that there is a clear hierarchy among school subjects, with math and science leading the charge, followed by language arts and the social sciences. Alas, somewhere at the bottom, if there is enough money or interest, there may be a music or arts program, but rarely, if ever, will you see education being taught through dance.

Why is that?

Why do schools not support the full use of our bodily talents? Why do we insist on educating our children from the neck up? Parents are battling to secure admission to top-notch preschools because, apparently, this is now crucial to securing our child's future (or at least a spot on an Ivy League admissions list).

But still, the traditional rote pedagogy served up in most schools is no substitute for a real education, and Sir Ken explains why. Hats off to TED and Ken for tackling the inadequate reality of modern education and doing it with a dollop of humor! 

Talk soon,
Lori


What are your school experiences or ideas for restoring a paradigm that supports educating the whole child? 

Post your comments below and let me know!