Parents and Caregivers

  • Co-Regulation is Not Just a Buzzword, and It Can Be Practiced by Everyone

    Co-Regulation is Not Just a Buzzword, and It Can Be Practiced by Everyone

    Co-regulation may be the new parenting buzzword, but human beings have utilized co-regulation strategies since time immemorial. Ancestral knowledge teaches us that singing together in ceremony (which stimulates the vagal nerve), drumming (which stimulates both sides of the brain), and spending time in nature (which soothes our nervous systems) are all regulating practices. The strains…

  • Co-Regulation Supports Parents and Their Children

    Co-Regulation Supports Parents and Their Children

    Have you ever been in a long line at the grocery store with your toddler on the brink of a tantrum? You are not alone. Our society teaches parents that children are meant to obey adults, which leaves parents feeling frustrated when their children are unable to obey due to big emotions. As we learn…

  • Engage Kids in Problem Solving

    Family meetings are a powerful tool to build the life skills that we want our children to have.  Holding family meetings helps children learn empathy, cooperation, mutual respect, and effective, solution-focused problem solving.  The consistent practice of gathering as a family, giving and receiving compliments, and solving problems helps families run more smoothly and builds…

  • 8 Ways to Start the New School Year on a Positive Note

    September is half over, and whether this summer was relaxing or stressful (or a combination of both!), it is time to accept that it is coming to an end. Your kids (and you) are probably feeling a mix of anticipation, curiosity, and maybe even dread as the new school year gets underway. For the transition…

  • Ideas for Parents & Caregivers to Celebrate the End of the School Year with Their Kids

    Ten months of packing lunches, checking homework, and ensuring your kids get out the door before the school bus or carpool leaves! It’s time to celebrate! In our fast-paced culture, it can be easy to forget to commemorate big moments and transitions, such as the transition from the end of the school year to summer…

  • Relationship Tools You Can Use to Repair Mistakes and Maintain Connection with Your Child

    Relationship Tools You Can Use to Repair Mistakes and Maintain Connection with Your Child

    Conflict is an inevitable part of life, and we often are not taught how to repair harm once it occurs, especially not with our children. It is vital for parents and caregivers to remain in healthy connection with their child after conflict occurs, and to model what an effective repair conversation looks like. This not…

  • Sound Discipline Working Moms

    To celebrate International Women’s History Month and National Working Moms’ Day, we are featuring interviews with some amazing working moms here at Sound Discipline. Our Sound Discipline colleagues shared with us how they’ve attempted to balance working and parenting and also how working at Sound Discipline has impacted them as working moms. Stacy Lappin, Director…

  • Ideas for Celebrating the Season!

    It was far from normal, and this school year marked the first time since 2018-2019 that most kids were in real classrooms, in person, together. So, when they leave their classrooms and say goodbye to their teachers this month, it will be truly transitional. Celebrating all that they accomplished this school year can help with…

  • Routines, Rituals & Traditions in Families

    Routines provide consistency and predictability. They help our kids feel safe, and we as adults feel more organized and less chaotic. Specifics of routines tend to be unique to each family. Rituals and tradition provide comfort for kids and more than that, tend to be the foundation of our childhood memories as we grow. They…

  • For Healthier Kids, Flip the Script on Self-Care

    One way to help kids who are struggling is to try flipping the script – talk less about self-care and more about care for others around us. Research shows that kindness towards others is more beneficial for mental and physical health than self-care. Active kindness: helping others, volunteering, being generous and consciously kind, results in…