"Responding Right When Children Do Wrong"

In the book, Parenting Scripts, Amber Lia and Wendy Speake suggest as parents, we can actually use scripts to enable us to respond to challenging situations that arise in our home and with our children. These scripts prompt us to say the right thing because we are prepared with the script in mind and we can then respond rather than react to problems that come along. It is a privilege to parent our children but too often they are not cooperating and they do know how to push our buttons. But if we have a plan in mind of what to say, then we do not become child-like in our reaction and we can diffuse the situation at hand. And remember don't try to parent in the problem. Lecturing when a child is in the midst of a struggle is never heard by the child. By being prepared, you can say a quick script to get you through the moment and save the lecture for later. Allow natural consequences as much as possible to do the job for you. In conclusion, "figure out what you mean to say before you say something mean."