Many parents struggle with this concept of "natural" consequences because they don’t fully understand what constitutes a “natural” consequence. And sometimes parents have difficulty relinquishing control because they feel they always have to get their child to obey. Here's what you can do as a parent.

At Empowering Parents, we often hear from parents who feel frustrated at their teenager’s bad attitude and irresponsible behavior. Whether it’s doing well in school or keeping a job, some kids just don’t seem to care. Here's what you can do.

You can’t punish your child into better behavior. Forget about over-the-top punishments or ineffective rules because you’ll just end up in a power struggle. Here's what you can do instead.

Threats and abuse from your own child are frightening, disturbing, and heartbreaking all at the same time. Parents need to have a systematic way of dealing with threats and abuse so that they don’t simply move from crisis to crisis with their child. Here's what you can do as a parent.

Verbal abuse and intimidation by children and teens isn’t just a phase that goes away—it doesn’t just happen. It often has deep roots that begin early in a child’s development. And it often begins as a way for kids to try to get power through controlling their parents.

Most kids go through phases where they are sassy, sarcastic, mouthy, or disrespectful. As a parent, it’s hard to know when to let it slide and when to address the problem. Here's what you can do as a parent.

If your defiant or acting-out child has low self-esteem, this podcast is for you. Empowering Parents breaks down many of the myths of the self-esteem movement and gives you practical advice on the best way to improve your child's behavior and their self-esteem.

A round-up of our top 8 parenting tips. Plus, a Total Transformation tip from James Lehman. Don't miss this one!

For many parents, getting their kids to do their homework is a nightly struggle. Some kids refuse to do their homework. Others claim that they don’t have homework, but then the report card comes out, and you realize that their work was not being done. Here's what you can do as a parent.

Parenting is hard. Parenting a difficult child is especially hard, and it's devastating to watch your child make bad decisions and head down the wrong path. In this episode, we address the heartbreaking and understandable question that many parents ask us: "Will my kid be messed up forever?"

When you catch your child in a lie, it’s natural to feel betrayed, hurt, angry, and frustrated. But here’s the truth: lying is a normal child behavior problem. It needs to be addressed, but for most kids, it’s not a character flaw, and it’s not an issue of morality. Here are 5 tips for dealing with lying in children and teens.

You usually can’t end an argument—or make a child do something—by trying to make them understand and agree with you. The fact is, most of the time they don’t understand you. They’re going to see things differently. Children and adults have different perspectives. Parents can spend a lot of time and energy trying to make a child accept their logic. And it’s just not going to happen. Includes special bonus message from James Lehman.

Eye rolling, curses, insults, backtalk, name-calling, ignored requests, snide comments: disrespect from your child or teen comes in many different forms. In today's episode, Kimball Lewis, CEO of EmpoweringParents.com, talks about what to do (and not to do) when your child is being disrespectful. Special bonus: Listen to James Lehman talk about disrespect in The Total Transformation® program.

As soon as you knew you were having children, you probably began to dream about who they were going to be. But then reality sets in and you end up with a child that is different from what you expected. Understanding and accepting this is one of the keys to effective parenting and managing behavior.

Parents, are you tired of the constant power struggles between you and your kids? Does it feel like every conversation turns into an argument? On today's podcast, Kimball Lewis, CEO of Empowering Parents provides insight on how to stop arguing with your child. Get the help you need and start forming that better parent-child relationship today

How would you stay alive if you had to hunt and grow your own food, search for fresh sources of water and live without electricity, using only your wits and skills? The truth is most kids don’t possess those extraordinary life skills, let alone the mundane ones we all need to make it in the real world—like balancing the checkbook.

When you’re out in public places with your kids, it can feel like your every move is on display. It’s like theater, where everyone is a critic. For Empowering Parents Contibuting Editor Jennie Wallace, her family took center stage this past weekend.

A few months ago, we asked Empowering Parents readers to share how they respond when their child acts out. There were three parenting styles that readers consistently told us they were using and weren’t working the way they would like. The common denominator?  All three undermine your authority as a parent.  

Siblings bicker; it's what they do. They tease, taunt and fight. It can drive parents crazy and wear us down, making our homes chaotic and at times, unlivable. On today's podcast, learn 6 ways you can stop sibling bickering and rivalry--from calm parenting expert, Debbie Pincus.

When your child lies to you, it stirs up a potent mix of emotions. You might feel angry, hurt and offended all at once. Lying is extremely upsetting for parents because it shakes the foundation of trust we have in our child. Learn how you can talk to your child about lying on today's podcast.

As parents, we all have our triggers: the things our kids do and say that set us off.  And many of our triggers are related to backtalk and the shocking and hurtful things kids say when they’re angry. Learn when you should ignore backtalk and when you shouldn't on this week's podcast.

On today’s podcast we’ll be going over 4 constructive steps you can use to change your child’s behavior. To download our free Goal Worksheets, go here: www.empoweringparents.com/4-steps-change-child-behavior.php

Parenting is one job that never takes a holiday vacation. As families are celebrating holidays, parents are also coping with sibling bickering, backtalk, temper tantrums, and power struggles. Use these 8 Parenting Tips to help you prepare for the New Year.

The holidays can be a tough time for everyone. And when you’re parenting an oppositional, defiant or challenging child, the holidays can be more than tough; they can be downright awful. In response, Kim Abraham has written a Message of Hope for Parents of Defiant Children.

If you find yourself doing everything for your child, you may be engaging in what I refer to as martyr parenting. Without even realizing it, well-meaning parents can turn into martyrs for their kids. If this is you, you must learn to step back. You must learn to stop being the martyr so that your child learns to face consequences and overcome hardships. Here's how.

When your child acts out or breaks the rules, it’s normal to feel your authority as a parent slip away. If you’re like most parents, you’ve tried everything: you’ve taken the car away, locked the video games in a cabinet, and have even considered cancelling Christmas or a birthday party. You’ve probably also seen that these things haven’t worked.

Sometimes disrespect comes along with adolescence; other times a child may show disrespectful behavior from an early age. Either way, it’s a behavior that can push any parent’s emotional buttons! Learn how you can respond with these 5 techniques, from the authors of The ODD Lifeline program.

As parents, we want to give our children what makes them happy; we don’t want them to feel left out or get teased because their boots, phone, or brand name hoodie is last year’s model. And when we’re unable (or even when we’re unwilling) to buy the “latest and greatest,” we often feel terribly guilty. To avoid those feelings of guilt, here are 8 questions to ask yourself before buying anything.

You put in the work: you raised your child, got them through school, and prepared them as best you could for living on their own as an adult. You were really looking forward to having the house to yourselves again. Finally, a little peace and quiet! Then, you find out your adult child has decided to live at home. Now what? Learn new ground rules for how to manage this situation on today's podcast.

You thought “The Terrible Twos” were bad. Now you’re dealing with “The Terrible Thirteens,” and it’s just as bad, if not worse. On today's podcast, Dr. Michael Kramer writes how you can stop teen temper tantrums in just 3 steps.

Do you have an ODD child or teen who constantly argues and fights your authority, refusing to follow the rules of your home?Believe it or not, there are definite strengths that go hand-in-hand with that challenging, ODD personality. This week, we’re going to show you how to see your child through a different lens,with stories of ODD kids who have worked with Kimberly Abraham and Marney Studaker-Cordner, the authors of The ODD Lifeline program.

“Why can’t I get my kids to get their homework done and off to bed without the constant screaming, bickering, and crying?” If you’ve asked yourself this question regularly, you’re not alone. Parents say that homework and bedtime battles are some of the most nerve-wracking, exhausting moments of parenthood. We're here to help you get through it with 8 Tips for Calmer Nights with Kids.

Do your kids make you feel like an ogre when you set limits? Does the word “no” kick off whining, yelling and protests?It can be hard to know if the limits you set are reasonable or not. On top of that, how do you know that the limits you set even work? Whether you’re just beginning to set limits, or you’re adjusting your limits to match your child’s unique needs and developmental changes, it doesn’t hurt to have a little help.

Some parents go to conferences expecting glowing reports, but many of us dread them. Maybe it’s because you’ve had a prior bad experience and felt powerless, or that you weren’t a good enough parent. If you're dreading parent-teacher conferences, try Anna Stewart's new approach.

Jerry Sandusky. Michael Jackson. Mary Kay Letourneau. All of these individuals were accused and/or convicted of committing unspeakable crimes against children. While certainly upsetting, these high profile cases are a good opportunity to spark a conversation with your kids about staying safe, as parents are the first and most powerful line of defense against predators.

The distinction between mild rebelliousness and disrespect has to be drawn very clearly. But how do you know for sure if your child’s behavior has crossed the line and become truly disrespectful? Here's what you need to know.

What do you do when your morning routine just isn’t working? On today’s podcast, we’ll help you get back on track for the school year with 6 Ways to Fix Your Morning Routine, by Megan Devine.

When you look at kids and people in general, it’s easy to see that we all have differences in our “wiring;” in how our brains work. As a parent, you see these differences between your children every day. On today’s podcast, child psychologist and author of The Total Focus program, Dr. Robert Myers, writes 6 Brain-Training Exercises For Children and Teens.

Sometimes us parents don’t think we’re anxious because we’re not trembling in our boots. There’s often no visible signs of how anxious we are. Yet when we look inside our heads, we notice that we spend a lot of time thinking about our kids—sometimes scary thoughts about things that haven’t even happened. On today's podcast, learn 5 ways you can relieve parental anxiety.

Why can’t your kid just follow one simple direction? It’s annoying, right? It’s not like you’re asking them to do something complicated. What you ask is really quite simple:  Fold your laundry. Walk the dog. Take the trash out. Clean your room. So why do you have to say the same thing fourteen times, with your voice and your blood pressure rising every time? On today's podcast: Ask Once and Your Kid Does It: 5 Ways to Make It Happen, by Megan Devine.

Even as adults, managing our anger can be hard, and we’ve had years of practice. For our children, who are just learning about their emotions, keeping their anger in check can be especially difficult. As parents, we can help by teaching our children to recognize what sets them off so that they too can keep their anger in check. On today's podcast, learn 8 Steps to Anger Management for Kids.

What can you do when your child just refuses to get up and go to school? You’ve yelled, nagged, pleaded and even tried bribing her, but she just digs her heels in and says, “Nope, not going, no matter what you do.” Maybe this has never happened to you—or maybe it happens every day. On this week's podcast, learn exactly what you can and can't control as a parent.

What causes bad child behavior? James Lehman says it happens because children don’t yet know how to solve problems effectively. To put it another way, they're trying to handle many of the situations that life throws at them by acting out. On today's podcast, 5 tips to help you cope with bad child behavior.

Does it seem like every time you tell your child “No,” it turns into a tug-of-war? Many parents find themselves in a negotiation with their children when they are met with any kind of resistance. On today's podcast, 5 tips to help you avoid over-negotiating with your child.

As parents, we know the importance of parenting from our principles, things like teaching our children to own up to their actions and face the fallout when they make poor choices. And you’ve tried. You’ve talked to your child over and over, you’ve explained your reasoning repeatedly. You’ve given them restrictions, taken things away and grounded them for a month. Yet nothing seems to be getting through. It could be time to look at the difference between punishing your child and using consequences.

While you likely have good intentions, doing too much for your child can have unforseen consequences. Find out if you "over-do" for your child and learn how to fix it on today's podcast.

You are your child’s authority—that’s your role and responsibility. Do you have an emotional relationship with your child? Yes. But if you try to be friends with your child, it comes at the cost of your authority, and it undermines your role as a parent.

Many of us can recall summer days spent playing games outside with friends, riding bikes, playing hopscotch, or making forts in the woods. Now, though, it seems like most kids prefer to lead a wired existence, constantly connected to some electronic device.On today’s podcast: 4 steps you can take to manage your child’s screen time, by Sara Bean.

We don’t always like our kids. It’s a truth we don’t often admit, even to ourselves. It’s important to accept the fact that you won’t always like your kids—and they won’t always like you. This is especially hard for parents of difficult, acting out kids to deal with. But the fact is, you’re on your way to less guilt and a better relationship with your child when you can acknowledge your feelings.

Since Colorado voters passed a law earlier this year legalizing the sale and purchase of marijuana, many parents have wondered what this means for their children’s future. As a resident of Colorado, Dr. Joan Simeo Munson has been bombarded with questions from concerned parents wondering not only how to broach this topic with their kids, but how to frame their responses and keep kids healthy and safe.