Bill Corbett

Do your kids drive you crazy asking you to buy them things while you're at the store with them? They start by asking for something they see, but as soon as you say "no" they begin to escalate the situation with pleading, demanding, and sometimes an all out temper tantrum. You try not to over react, but it seems like the only way to get them to stop is to give in and buy them what they wanted, yell at them to stop bugging you, or threaten them with punishment when you get to the car or home.  By the time you leave the store, you are not a happy camper. On top of that, none of those solutions works very well. The problem with using threats is that what worked today may not work tomorrow. Giving in to your children's demands is even worse because it teaches them that making demands works, and then demanding becomes their go-to solution for getting what they want. Try this tip the next time you head to the store with the kids. Before you get out of the car in ...

If you have attended any of my local workshops or have read any of my content, you know that I usually take the position that parents must take charge of their kids use of technology and the Internet. But what sometimes gets missed in my messages is that there are certain things our kids DO need and others they DON’T. One thing that leads parents to not withholding technology, devices and the Internet is their fear that their kids will be left out and fall behind in the digital age. Some even fear that their kids will lose friends or get bullied if they aren’t online and interacting with their peers. So, to help parents get it all straight, here are some guidelines on what our children and young teens should be allowed to have and what they shouldn’t. Keep in mind that these are guidelines are not set in stone as some families and situations may require specific modifications. GIVE YOUR KIDS THIS:  A Computer Keyboarding skills are critical for school age children and a centr...

Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Bill LongShaw I hear parents complain that their kids don’t appreciate what they have. So much is available to our kids today that it’s hard for them to imagine being without. Then when they push their parents for more, it triggers a feeling of resentment for the parents as they think about all they've done and provided for their kids so far. My own kids occasionally threw in the, “All my friends have an (insert anyone of these here: iPhone, TV, Xbox, Six Flags pass, etc.), why can’t I have one?” It’s common for them to think that every other child has what they want, even though it may not be true. Remain calm when they make these claims and stand firm in your position to not cave at their demands. Instead of reminding your children of all that you’ve bought or done for them, let their cries for more stuff be your reminder to get them involved in something that gives to others. From food banks, to pet adoption groups, to the...

Would you like to know about an easy-to-use device that will help you get your kids to cooperate more?  My friends over at TimeTimer.com created the perfect device to help parents transition their kids from one activity to another and it is incredibly effective with parenting.  I’m talking about the visual timer from TimeTimer.co m.  Many of you may already be familiar with the desk top and wall mount models, but I’d like to introduce you to the new  Time Timer Watch Plus ®  that you wear on your wrist.  You’ll notice in the image to the left, that I’m wearing one of these great watches myself and right from the start, what I love most about it is the precision.  The  Time Timer Watch Plus ®  provides you with the exact minute and second as time passes so that you know the exact amount of time you have remaining. Unlike audible timers that simply count down to zero and ring when time has expired, the  Time Timer ®  al...