Adapted from The Positive Parenting Workbook: An Interactive Guide for Strengthening Emotional Connection by Rebecca Eanes with the permission of TarcherPerigee, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright© 2018 by Rebecca Eanes

Seeing Problem Behavior in a New Way

Our culture is constantly feeding us negative ideas about children. When they are infants, we see them as blessings, gifts. We are quick to gush over newborn babies and how “innocent” and “sweet” they are. Oh, but wait just a few months and the message begins to change. Right about the time they learn to walk and talk, the warnings start to come. “He’s walking? You’re in trouble now.” “Just wait, the terrible twos are coming.” “Terrible twos? Ha! Threenagers are way worse.” “Oh yeah, just wait until he’s a teen!”

We are constantly told about how they will manipulate us, test our authority, push our buttons, and see what they can get away with. With the dire warnings come loads of advice telling us the best way to control our little tyrants—so they don’t control us.

Did the “terrible twos” message cause you fear or anxiety? If your child is two or older, do you think this influenced … Continue reading..