Love and Logic^® provides simple and practical techniques to help parents with kids of all ages:

• Raise responsible kids
• Have more fun in their role
• Easily and immediately (first use) change their children’s behavior

Check out the official site of Love and Logic^®

The class will be held on May 10, 17, 24 and June 7 and 14 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Corpus Christi Parish Center (405 8th Avenue North, Fort Dodge, IA).  There is no cost to attend and supper is provided as well.  The class will be facilitated by Catholic Social Services.  Call (515) 576-4156 to register for the Love & Logic class by May 6th.

Review the flyer for more information.

Linking Families and Communities is hosting Tom Copeland’s “Business Practices For Family Child Care Providers.”  This seminar will be held on May 7, 2011 in the auditorium of the BioScience & Health Sciences Building on Iowa Central Community College’s Fort Dodge Campus.

Pre-registration is required.  Click to review the FLYER.

Please note that family child care providers in the Calhoun, Pocahontas and Webster County area will be provided a scholarships.  Attendees from outside the area are required to pay a $15.00 Registration Fee.

To promote good behavior in your children clearly state your expectations in advance.  Tell your child what to do, rather than what not to do.  When it comes to picking up their toys before leaving the house, just saying “pick up your toys NOW and let’s go” will not give you the outcome most parents desire.  A better choice of direction would be to give them a 5 minute warning by saying: “It’s almost time to leave, first pick up your toys, then put on your coat.”

In order for your children to learn personal responsibility, they need plenty of support and practice.  Offer limited, reasonable choices.  For instance, rather than asking them “what would you like to wear today”?  Give them two choices….Would you like to wear the red shirt or green shirt?  This enables your child to still feel in control by making their own choice, and you as the parent still have control over the outcome.

By using “First…Then” Statements you give your child a simple instruction that tells him/her what you want them to do in order to meet their desired request.  For example, “First, put on your shoees, then you can go outside.”  Keep your statements positive, state them only once and follow through.

Give positive attention to behavior that you want to see.  This increases the likelihood of the behavior occuring again and again.  To promote manners at the dinner table you might say, “It makes me happy to hear you using ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ when passing the food.”

When your child’s behavior is unacceptable you can choose to respond to it or ignore it.  If you decide to respond, respond calmly.  Less is usually best.  Remember that you are modelling desired behavior for your child.  For example, if you find your child coloring on your wall, take a deep breath, and say, “Mark, paper is for coloring, walls are not.”  Then take him to the table where he can create his art on paper.

Neutral time occurs when everyone is calm enough to think, talk and listen, not in the middle of a difficult situation.  During this time, you can talk about prior behaviors or positive wayst to handle future problems.  If  tooth brushing is a nightly struggle, use neutral time prior to bedtime like this, “Bedtime is coming soon, let’s brush our teeth together and then read books before bed.  Won’t that be fun?”