Have you ever watched the show Brain Games? My kids love it. In season 3, episode 5, which is titled “Stress Test,” players were given a specific amount of time to complete a task while someone was saying critical remarks to them. They almost always failed. Then, they were given the same amount of time to complete the same task while someone said encouraging words to them. The results were dramatic. With a bit of encouragement, the players were able to complete the task much faster and easier. The bottom line? Encouragement matters.

We all want to raise happy children, so who better to ask how to do that than the Danes? Denmark is consistently ranked one of the happiest countries in the world, churning out generation after generation of happy people. It seemed logical to turn to the book, The Danish Way of Parenting – A Guide to Raising the Happiest Children in the World by Jessica Joelle Alexander and Iben Sandahl, to find insight. Within this gem of a book are several Danish secrets, two of which I’m going to share with you here.

Being on the receiving end of a disrespectful tone, eye roll, or door slam can be difficult for parents to handle positively. When our children are disrespectful, it’s very triggering for most of us. Our typical reaction is to wield our parental power to make it stop, whether through issuing a punishment or coming back with a bigger, worse attitude.

First day jitters are common for kids and parents, alike. Face those feelings of separation anxiety or uncertainty head on.

Carve a little time out in your day for some fun summer activities with the kids!

Are you having a rough day with the kids? Try these positive parenting ideas to turn the day around!

Positive Parenting is more than a set of rules or guidelines. It’s a philosophy based on trust, respect, and connection. It’s a different way of viewing and interacting with children, one that invites cooperation rather than rebellion and wins hearts not power struggles. Here are the top 5 apps to help positive parents!

Fussy eaters make mealtimes quite the challenge. However, there are positive solutions for fussy eaters and mealtime troubles.

STEM activities offer fun, hands-on learning to inspire inventors, thinkers, and innovators. I’ve gathered 12 of my favorites for your creative child.

There are several sensible alternatives to discipline for sensitive kids, and all children really, that keep trust and connection intact while providing children the guidance they need through childhood.

As children grow in independence, spend more time with peers, and get absorbed in their own interests, they seek less time with us. Here are 5 tips for parenting your teen and tween.

I’ve been thinking about happiness a lot lately. As parents, we often think about how to raise children who are happy and thriving, and I think about that plenty, too, but in the past several months, I’ve been thinking about how our own happiness affects our children.

Summer is in full swing, and I’m here with 31 ideas to keep boredom at bay and invite connection with your kids. Which summer activities will you try?

In positive parenting, we move away from traditional methods for disciplining children such as time-out and punishment.

Is Positive Parenting not working for you? Here are some possible reasons why.

These summer boredom buster bags are an easy solution for keeping their minds active and their creativity alive and flourishing.

The foundation of Positive Parenting rests on five principles. These principles go hand in hand to help you build a strong bond with your children and to position you as the effective leader your child needs throughout childhood.

Play is a wonderful way to connect with our kids and join them in their world. The outdoors are a great place to have water fun and other summer activities! Check out these 30 new play ideas!

Implosive children are the opposite of explosive. Rather than act out their feelings with defiant, poor behavior, they become anxious, withdrawn, sad, or fearful. For positive parenting advice on how to handle these behaviors, check out these great resources!

Is this where you are today? Locked in daily power struggles? Missing the bond you once had with your child? Longing to reconnect and find the joy in parenting again? Here are my top 5 tips to end the power struggles and reconnect.

Correcting misbehavior is like pulling the weeds. The purpose is to allow room for the child to grow healthy and strong in character and to showcase the beauty within him, but if we aren’t providing the other elements, he, too, will wither in spirit.