Bill Corbett

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably heard it more times than you can count:      =============================      LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     ============================= “Mom, can I get this?” “Dad, I need that toy!” “Can we pleeeease go to the store?” Whether it’s a commercial on TV, a shiny new toy their friend just got, or an ad that pops up on your phone, kids are surrounded by things they want — and they’re not shy about letting you know. And if we’re honest, many of us have given in at one point or another. Why? Because giving in is often faster and quieter than standing our ground. It ends the whining, the pleading, and the meltdown in the store aisle. But here’s the problem: every time we give in, we teach our kids that persistence (and loudness!) works — so they repeat the pattern next time. But what if there were a way to break the cycle that also taught them patience, gratitude, and the value of waiting? Introducing: The Wis...

PARENTS WHO LISTEN MORE AND SPEAK LESS . A child's emotions, thoughts, and behavior may be unstable during this difficult time. They need to be able to express how they feel without their emotions being stuffed. Some of the things they say may be difficult for the parent to hear, so don't dismiss or minimize what is said or how they feel. REGULAR ACCESS TO GRANDPARENTS . Relationships with your extended family may be complicated for you, but the kids still need them. Determine what access grandparents and other extended family members will have to your children, and remain open to the fact that these adults can be beneficial during this difficult time. It can often times be easier for children to express their feelings to grandparents and others. The best parenting tool ever created! PARENTS WILLING TO TAKE A PARENTING CLASS . I'm not referring to the inexpensive divorce class that most states require all divorcing parents to attend; I'm talking about a multi-session pa...

Even the most patient parent has moments they regret, such as the checkout meltdown, the raised voice in the car, or the hasty words that sting more than intended. What you do after those moments matters as much (if not more) than what happened in the heat of it. Children are resilient, but they need guidance to process what they have just witnessed and to learn how to manage their emotions effectively. Here’s how to turn a moment you wish you could erase into one of the most powerful lessons you can teach. 1. Wait Until Everyone Is Calm Jumping into the conversation right away can backfire if either of you is still upset. Give it time - sometimes minutes, sometimes hours - so the conversation feels safe and not like a continuation of the conflict. You might say: “I want to talk about what happened earlier, but let’s wait until we both feel calmer.” This teaches that cooling off before talking is not avoidance - it’s wisdom. 2. Take Responsibility for Your Actions Children need to hear...

This post is going to deviate from my usual topics that I write about, so I hope my regular readers will bear with me. It's a post you may want to read if you've accepted the wrong job offer. While working on my autobiography, I remembered an excruciating experience as a twenty-something new to the workforce, following my military service. It was an experience that many would have trouble believing, or at the very least, would certainly hope that it couldn't happen in today's workforce. Then I remembered my friend and author, Jeff Davis, who recently released his book THE COURAGE TO LEAVE: BREAKING FREE FROM TOXIC WORKPLACES . I thought to myself, I need to tell him that I've got a doozy for him for his next edition. Believe it or not, here's what took place. One of my first jobs after my tour in the service was working in the IT department at a 100-year-old company. It was located in a mid-sized city in New England, and I had been hired into an entry-level posi...