Discipline That Works
All children "misbehave" sometimes, and all parents wonder how to stop the misbehavior. But that's only half of our mission as parents. The other half is raising a child who internalizes our guidance to become "self-disciplined." The most effective "discipline" for your child is always positive, loving, gentle guidance. Here's why.
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Ten Tips To Become a More Peaceful Parent
Ten tips for practicing peaceful parenting with your child, to raise a healthy, happy, emotionally intelligent child.
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When Kids Won't Cooperate: Give Choices
Giving choices may be the single most useful tool parents have for managing life with young children and helping kids and teens learn to manage themselves.
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What's Wrong with Strict Parenting?
People think strict parenting produces better-behaved kids. However, research shows that strict, or authoritarian, parenting produces kids with low self esteem who behave worse.
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Should You Spank Your Child?
Kids who are spanked are less emotionally healthy than kids who aren't. What's more, kids who are spanked behave worse over time.
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What's Wrong with Permissive Parenting?
Kids need appropriate, empathetic limits for healthy emotional development. When parents don't set limits, here's what happens.
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How to Set Effective Limits with Your Child
Our limits actually teach kids to set limits for themselves, which is otherwise known as self-discipline.
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Empathetic Limits in Action: Leaving the Playground
A script for setting limits with a toddler or preschooler. Before long, your child will climb reluctantly from the swing into her stroller when you say it's time for lunch.
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What's Wrong with Timeouts?
Timeouts ARE punishment, not any different than when you were made to stand in the corner as a child.
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Why Consequences are Just More Ineffective Punishment
How will children learn to do the right thing, if they don't suffer the consequences when they do the wrong thing?
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The Truth About Consequences
The advice parenting experts always give is not to rescue kids if they forget things so they'll learn a lesson. What that really teaches kids is that they can't count on their parents.
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Peaceful Parenting Your Strong-Willed Child
Have a strong-willed child? You're lucky! Strong willed children can be a challenge when they're young, but if sensitively parented they become terrific teens and young adults.
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When You Get Angry At Your Child
How to Handle Your Anger at Your Child. In our calm moments we know that we could handle any parenting moment much better from a state of calm. Here's how.
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Healing Yourself So You Can Be a More Peaceful Parent
The truth is that virtually all of us were wounded as children, and if we don't heal those wounds, they prevent us from parenting our children optimally.
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When Your Child Acts Out but Can’t Cry: Building Safety
Learn how to help your child break through his anger to release the tears and fears underneath, by building safety through play.
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Why Peaceful Parenting?
Peaceful parenting raises an emotionally healthy child who WANTS to cooperate.
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10 Alternatives To "Consequences" When Your Child Isn't Cooperating
Next time you find yourself about to blurt out a threat or give a "consequence", try one of these responses.
Read MoreFolks, she's brilliant. It's wonderful to have parenting experts who don't see the child as the enemy in a locked combat, for one thing. I recommend it.
"Your emails are life savers! So well thought-out and written!" - Helene Brazier-Mitouart
"I'd really recommend Laura Markham's Aha! parenting books and website for brilliantly practical ways to parent with kindness instead of punishment." - Makchoon
Makchoon
I have seen amazing improvement in my *very* angry 17 year-old son after acknowledging that there was a reason he was so angry and acting out. We have had several heartfelt conversations and I have seen a real change in how he treats his younger brother, and how he treats me.
I know that I am a better parent thanks to Dr. Laura's inspirational words and suggestions.
My daughter reacts so much better when I empathize and stay patient. And now I get to model that behavior instead of letting my frustration get the better of me.
"Another brilliant article, pulling compelling information together in a readable way. Thank you so much for the work you do. You help me as a parent of teenagers, and I pass your articles on to clients." - Nancy Eisenberg
Thank you so much for this great advice! You give me ideas for how I can "do it better" and that lifts me up with hope and positivity too!
"I just want to say that the advice about dealing with toddlers on this website is excellent. It is amazing how much my attitude changes my son's behavior. If I make an effort to empathize with him, he is so much more cooperative. It does take an effort -- after all, I have a lot to do and I don't always want to take the time. But I find it is worth it to avoid the tantrums and fussing. He is much better behaved now, and other people even comment on it."
Jennifer
Today I say thank you, tears streaming from my face, so proud of my little boy and all he will become. Thank you. - Jennifer B.
Jennifer B
Your philosophies are the only tools we've come across which offer practical advice grounded in clearly laid out lay terminology. Our family life day-to-day is nothing short of a miracle, thanks to you! - Dana Questad
Dana Questad
