Behaviour
Can you spoil a child with too much love? What actually spoils
Hugs, cuddles and time never spoil a child. Giving in to every demand can make growing up harder. How to keep all the love and add a few limits.
13 min read
Behaviour: tantrums, listening and limits
Tantrums, stubbornness and a child who will not listen are some of the hardest parts of the day. These guides explain why they happen at each age and give you calm steps and words to try tonight, without hitting or shouting.
Latest articles
Showing 17 of 17 guides
- Behaviour
Child won't share? What's normal by age and how to teach sharing
'Mine!' is one of the first words many toddlers shout. Why young children find sharing hard, how to teach turns instead of forcing a handover, and what to do when cousins visit.
12 min read
BehaviourHow to get kids to listen without yelling: a calm plan for ages 2–10
If you're repeating yourself five times and ending up shouting, you're not alone. Here's why children tune out, and a calm way to be heard the first time.
10 min read
- Behaviour
Child swearing: what to do when your child uses bad words
A rude word from school, a cousin or a game. Why children swear, what to say in the moment, and how to take the power out of bad words.
12 min read
- Behaviour
Child stealing: what to do when your child takes things without asking
Most children take something that isn't theirs at least once. What it means from 3 to 14, what to say, how to return and repair, and when to get help.
12 min read
- Behaviour
My child is a bully: what to do when your child is the one bullying
What to do when you learn your child is bullying others: staying calm, finding out what happened, why children bully, working with the school, repair, online bullying and kindness at home.
12 min read
BehaviourPositive discipline: how to discipline a child without hitting or yelling
Many of us were raised with a slap or the cane. Here is a full toolkit for teaching right from wrong without hitting or yelling, including what to do after a bad moment.
11 min read
- Behaviour
Reward chart for kids: does it work, and how to use one well
Stickers can help a new habit get going, or turn every small job into a deal. How to set up a reward chart that helps, what to use as rewards, and when to stop.
13 min read
BehaviourHow to say no to a child: kind, firm limits that hold (ages 2–8)
Chocolate at the counter, a cousin's toy, one more cartoon. How to say no kindly, mean it, and keep the peace with grandparents too.
12 min read
BehaviourHow to stop yelling at your kids, and how to repair when you do
Most parents who yell love their children and hate how it feels afterwards. A practical plan for the seconds before you shout, tired evenings and the repair.
12 min read
BehaviourStrong-willed child? How to end power struggles at ages 5–12
When every request turns into an argument, it's exhausting. How to step out of power struggles with your child, without giving in and without a fight.
10 min read
- Behaviour
Child talking back: how to handle backchat and disrespect (ages 5–16)
Backchat is common from about age 5 and often grows in the teen years. How to stay calm, keep the rule and teach polite disagreement.
13 min read
- Behaviour
Tantrum in public? What to do in shops, weddings and relatives' homes
Screaming in the supermarket, tears at a wedding, a meltdown in an aunt's living room, with everyone watching. How to stay calm, keep your child safe and handle the stares.
12 min read
BehaviourTerrible twos: what's normal at age 2, how to cope and when it ends
At two, 'no!' can become your child's favourite word. Why it happens, what's normal, how to make the day easier, and when it usually eases.
10 min read
BehaviourToddler hitting and biting: why it happens and what to do (ages 1–6)
A slap when you say no, a bite over a toy: hitting and biting are common in young children. Why it happens, what to do in the moment, and when to worry.
10 min read
BehaviourToddler tantrums: what to do in the moment and how to have fewer
Tantrums are hard on everyone, especially in a shop or in front of relatives. What to do and say in the moment, how to have fewer, and when to get help.
11 min read
BehaviourWhy do kids lie? What lying means at each age and how to respond
Most lies are about fear, not character. What lying looks like from 3 to 16, how to make the truth safe, and how to respond when you already know the answer.
9 min read
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