MrHowd.com

July 30th, 2026

Should you ignore lying?

Wise parents aren’t surprised by lying. They understand that children will lie in certain situations.

But that realization doesn’t make lying acceptable. Here’s a way to address the problem:

Very few humans, including adults, are like young George Washington in the cherry tree story. Most people, including children, tend to lie to protect themselves. If the youngster didn’t brush his teeth, and the parent asks, “Did you brush your teeth?” the answer will probably be a lie. So, why ask in the first place?
A better approach might be to say, “I hope you’re protecting your teeth by brushing. I’ve been a little worried for you since I pay for the good dentist reports and you pay for the bad ones. I hope you get a good report from the dentist.”
And yes, a Love and Logic parent would have the child pay for the bad report.

July 23rd, 2026

Truth prevails

Originally posted 2018-02-26 13:56:28. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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July 16th, 2026

Don’t quit

Originally posted 2017-01-21 07:07:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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July 9th, 2026

If you really want to do something…

Originally posted 2016-07-16 08:18:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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July 2nd, 2026

How to avoid power struggles with stubborn kids

When kids get stubborn, adults are tempted to turn up the heat by making demands, raising voices, making threats, and showing we mean business. To stubborn kids, that’s a challenge they would love to take you up on.

To reduce the chance of a power struggle, here’s a Love and Logic tip:

1. Approach slowly as if you haven’t a care in the world.
2. Ask nicely, “Will you ______________, just for me? Thanks!”
3. Act cool, turn tail, and slowly walk away.
Research has demonstrated that the odds of getting into a nasty power struggle with a kid dramatically decrease when we’re no longer around them. The true science has to do with expectations and the fact that people will live up to…or down to…the ones we communicate. What expectation do we send when we ask someone to do something and then stare at them? The message is clear: “You’re not going to do this for me.”
In contrast, what expectation is sent when we make the very same request yet move away? The message is far more positive: “This is a win-win situation. I know you’ll help me out.”

Read the rest here.

Originally posted 2016-01-27 17:06:51. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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