"Building Character Starts with Getting Your Kids To Talk."

Parenting Tips by Jean Tracy, MSS, for grades K-6:

This Parenting Tip comes from my 80 Activities to Share with Your Kids:

Having fun with your children is a wonderful way to bond with them. Parents who lecture, nag, and scold rather than enjoy their kids won't have the influence to guide their kids when they need to. Why? Because their kids have turned them off. Who would want to confide, get advice, or spend time with a negative parent?

This doesn't mean a parent can't be firm with their kids. In fact, being firm is good. Firmness needs to be balanced with fun times too.

Many families enjoy playing video games (hopefully, nonviolent games). In our last post, we talked about using the formula "First this and then that…"

Let's say you want your child to finish washing the pots and pans after dinner, or take out the garbage, or sweep the kitchen floor. Using the formula is perfect for concluding the task with fun. Here's how you might use the formula.

1. First wash the pots and pans and then we'll play a video game.
2. First take out the garbage and then we'll play a video game.
3. First sweep the kitchen floor and then we'll play a video game.

Parenting Skills Conclusion:

See how easy it is, no lecturing, nagging, or scolding. Your kids will be eager to complete their chores just to have a fun time with you. You be teaching your children self-discipline. You'll be connecting with them and you'll be building character too.

If you liked the above parenting tip, I invite you to subscribe to my FREE Parenting Newsletter at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids.

How do you bond with your kids? Let me know by emailing me at http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/contact.asp . When I receive your tip, I'll send you a surprise.

Here's to your parenting success,

Jean

Jean Tracy, MSS