Carrots Are Orange

Montessori Parenting & Learning

  • Montessori
    • Principles
    • Curriculum
      • Geography
      • History
      • Language
      • Life Science
        • Botany
        • Zoology
      • Math
      • Peace
      • Practical Life
      • Sensorial
    • Classroom
    • Theory
    • Materials
    • Courses
    • Printables
  • Activities
    • Art
    • Fall
    • Montessori
    • Outdoor
    • Science
    • Summer
    • Fine Motor
  • Parenting
    • Montessori Toys
    • Montessori At Home
    • Mindfulness
    • Social & Emotional Learning
    • Special Needs
      • Anxiety In Kids
      • Gifted Children
      • Executive Functioning
      • Sensory Processing Disorder
  • Printables
  • Resources
    • Book Lists
    • Gift Guides
    • Montessori Materials
    • Montessori Toys
  • Newsletter
  • About
    • Contact
Home » Parenting » Social & Emotional Intelligence » 9 Refreshing Ways to Positively Communicate with Kids

9 Refreshing Ways to Positively Communicate with Kids

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure .

“Please don’t…” I started to react to my son standing up in his chair at the dinner table. I didn’t go further. Every day is an opportunity to execute positive communicate with my sons. In fact, they give me lots and lots of opportunities throughout the day.

I began again, “Chairs are for sitting in.” That’s it. He sat down. I disciplined him in a way that guided him to the appropriate behavior, rather than completely shutting him down.
positive discipline

As I have mentioned in previous parenting posts, positive communication positive does not come easy. I have to practice. A lot. One resource for me is my Montessori course work. My MEIPN Montessori instructor from Woodinville Montessori School recently reviewed a piece adapted from work by Suzanne Smith, who based this piece on work on Positive Discipline for Preschoolers inspired by Teaching Parenting the Positive Discipline day by Lynn Lott and Jane Nelsen.

positive discipline

I know the choice option pretty well. To be honest, that approach does not always work. So I was thrilled when I read this handout. The authors suggest the following tools when a child desires to do something other than what is expected of him. I underlined the parts that can be adapted to your particular situation whether at home or in the classroom or in public.

Related Resource: Check out the 2o19 Super Sensory Bundle – Available Now

9 Refreshing Ways to Positively Communicate with Kids

  1. State Clear Expectations: “As soon as you finish your carrots, then you may go play trains.”
  2. Respond with a Question: “Would you like to do this yourself, or do you want/need my help?”
  3. State a Given: “This is dinnertime.”
  4. Check the child’s knowledge or understanding: “What needs to happen before you can go outside?”
  5. Invite cooperation: “I need your help…can you figure out the most helpful thing you could do right now?”
  6. Limited Choices: “Would you rather set the table or feed the dog? “Would you like to get dressed now or take your clothes to school in a bag?
  7. Say what you want: “I want you to stay with me while we shop.”
  8. Negotiate an agreement: “If I let you watch your favorite t.v. show, when will you clean up your play area?
  9. Follow through: “Time to pick up your trains now.” Or “What was our agreement?” Then wait for a response. In Love & Logic fashion, don’t argue, just calmly repeat a one liner like “I know.” or “now”.

Thanks for reading. I hope you found this helpful.
Marnie

Tagged With: Positive Parenting

About Marnie Craycroft

Marnie hails from Maine where she spent summers buried in sand and winters buried in snow. She is the daughter of a nearly four decade veteran of the public school systems. Teaching has always been a part of her life. She founded Carrots Are Orange in 2010.

Carrots Are Orange is a Montessori learning and living website for parents and teachers.

Marnie graduated from Wesleyan University in 1999 with a BA in Economics. She spent nearly a decade working in investment management. In 2006, she earned her MA in business from the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business.

Marnie moved to the west coast in 1999 and currently lives in Boulder with her husband and three sons. She is Montessori trained. Her work has been featured on Apartment Therapy, Buzzfeed, PBS Kids, BabyCenter, the Melissa & Doug blog, Huffington Post, and WhattoExpect.com. Besides writing, passions include running (usually after her three sons), photography, and outdoor adventures.

« Object to Object Matching – Montessori Pre-Reading Lesson
How to Teach a Child to Apologize »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Posts

  • Unschooling: Can I Homeschool Without a Curriculum?
  • Resources for Teaching Geography to Elementary Aged Kids
  • 65+ Fantasy Fiction Books for 11 to 13 Year Old Boys and Girls
  • Looking for Delightful Read-Aloud Books for the Whole Family?
  • 2nd Grade Homeschool Schedule – Week 1

Copyright © 2022 Carrots Are Orange · Disclosure & Copyright · Site by Design by Insight

  • 757