More Notes on Parenting by Brandie Parham, M.A., M.F.T. Intern

  1. Behavior is a statement of feeling. To be able to talk with each other and solve problems, you must first start by thinking about and identifying what you and your child are feeling.
  2. Parents are a model for behavior. Behave in a way you would like your children to behave.
  3. If you look for non-verbal clues in your child's communication, you will stand a better chance of understanding more fully what the child means.
  4. Verbalizing your own feelings to your children in an appropriate way will not only let them know it's okay to feel that way, but also will show them how to express feelings appropriately.
  5. "If there's something we wish to change in our child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something which could better be changed in ourselves."
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