Over at Strong Roots Family Coaching blog, Marcia has a great two part article on Why does my child WANT to get in trouble? Many nannies and families struggle with this issue daily. Make sure to read both parts to see how you can help your child not get in “trouble”
Why does my child WANT to get in trouble? (Part 1)
This is a very helpful article! It’s a constant struggle to quit taking the kids’ button-pushing personally and give them what they need. The imagery in the article helps me shift to a viewpoint where I can be calm and offer the kids tools, even teach them skills they can use over their lifetime! Thank you!
I also recommend the book “How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids” by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer, for introducing kids to the idea of becoming emotionally full and empty, although in the book a full bucket feels good and an empty bucket mirrors the discomfort of an empty feeling inside.
Both the “full of bad feeling” idea from the article and the “full of good feeling” from the book make sense, but in teaching kids I do like the perspective in the book better.
Janice, thanks for the great comment!! I will have to check out the book “How Full is Your Bucket?” I agree with the concept and I personally believe that children have a love cup or “bucket” as well as one with hurt. Our goal as parents and caregivers is to keep the love bucket full while helping our children to empty the hurt bucket. Both our necessary for happy kids.