"Proud" Parenting Moment: Learn from the Master

I was outside today working on the car when my wife drove up returning from running errands. She got out and disbelievingly asked me, "Did you really say that?!" "Say what?" She then showed me my 16-year-old daughter's tweet:

My daughty then Tweeted, "I shouldn't be laughing cause everyone is ticked but that was really funny."

I'm normally a bit more composed so I think my wife was somewhat impressed.

Rewind. So here's what happened: I had just got on the younger kids a few times about their chores. "Just get it done and quit complaining!" There. I thought I had it all taken care of and I could take a relaxing shower as they completed said tasks. Silly me. Just a few moments after getting in I hear one of them yelling and bossing the other around. And I'm thinking and fuming, "Sheesh! Really?! C'mon! You've got to be kidding!" Yet there I am stuck in the shower with no re-course... I can't do anything about it now and I don't want to get out to deal with it—I just got in, for Pete's sake! There was nothing in that moment as a parent that I could do. Or so I thought.

And thus the tweet.

As a parent trainer I preach the importance of not making empty threats you're not willing to enforce. However, that was one threat I knew I wouldn't have to carry out. I think the shock and horror of the imagined potential of what could happen was more than enough to get them hustling.

Fast forward. My tweeting daughter later came out while I was working on the car. I asked her to come over and talk to me. She smiled, put her head down sheepishly and backed away. I laughed and said, "Yeah, mom showed me your tweet. What I want to know was as a parent did I go up in your estimation or down?" "Hmmm... I don't know... It was just really funny... and disturbing." I told her I figured she'd probably need a few sessions of therapy to deal with the trauma of that image emblazoned upon her mind.

So that folks is the expert parent trainer at his finest. I hope you were taking notes.

—SHARE YOUR AMUSING "PROUD" PARENTING MOMENTS BELOW—

DEEP Listening and Creating an "OUR WAY" Plan. NEW VID! in the Parenting Interview Series: 5 of 8

NEW VID in the Parenting Interview Series 5 of 8 A series of eight video parenting Q&A's with Ben Anderson, Interim President of UHEA, and myself that we did in preparation for the 2013 Utah Home Education Association (UHEA) Conference this June 14-15  where I'll be presenting the following three workshops:

•  Mastering Stress & Other Strong Emotions
•  Study SMARTER, Not Harder: Strategies for Effective Learning
•  Communication: The DEEP Listening Solution

You don't have to be a home-schooler to benefit from these workshops—and you can't beat the price—only $35/individual, $45/couple for a two-day conference! Register here.

1. Appreciating a Strong-Willed Child

2. How Do I Know If I'm Being a Good Parent?

3. How Do You Create and Sustain a Healthy Family Culture?

4. How Do I Overcome Self-Doubt as a Parent?

5. DEEP Listening and Creating an "OUR WAY" Plan

COMING SOON!

6. Adapting Your Teaching to Your Children's Needs

7. Creating Habits of Family Unity

8. Creating a Family Culture of Appreciation

Vids 5-8 will be posted every few days prior to the conference. Stay tuned.

PARENTING FINESSE TIP: ”Teach Your Kids to "Fail" Gloriously"

PARENTING FINESSE TIP: ”Teach Your Kids to "Fail" Gloriously" http://bit.ly/aasey1