Wow, that sounds so fancy. But this post from The Well House can show you that it’s possible. AND that the best approaches focus on teaching, not punishing, and build a child’s internal motivation to make good choices.
Category: Great Reads
Why are the early years of a child’s life so important? As children grow into early childhood, their worlds open up and their interactions with those around them completely shape their ways of thinking. So dig into this one from the CDC to learn a little bit more about setting your kids up for success early.
2026 week continues! We’re just sharing a few more worthy reads, like this one from Protect Families, Protect Choices. One of my favorite lines in this post – and you’ll have to read it to find it! – is “One of the primary benefits of positive parenting is its profound impact on a child’s self-esteem and internal motivation.” There’s lots more great stuff here, but that’s the heart of it. And no matter what works best for you, we hope Smiles & Frowns helps you build stronger communication with your kids, which leads to that kind of strong internal growth.
As we wrap up the first quarter of the year, we’re still finding good articles that are looking forward into 2026. This one from The Everymom REALLY shows how the pendulum is starting to swing back towards more intentional, more “analog” approaches to parenting. And even though Smiles & Frowns is an app, we’ve always intended it to be a tool that helps promote real-life communication and collaboration with your kids on the road to better behavior. So read on!
A little local perspective from Your News. It’s just another reminder that the game has changed in the age of devices and digital distractions. (And yes, we know we’re saying this as a behavior app on a device!) It’s a super quick read with a few nice little nuggets you might find helpful.
Like I’ve said, every one of this positive parenting articles can add a little more to your toolkit of techniques and strategies. This one from Penn State Extension has a nice little breakdown of how you might adjust your approach as your child moves through different ages and developmental stages. It’s worth a peek, for sure!
Hey, it’s Wednesday. Our brains are warmed up enough to handle a little psychological theory, right?! This one from A Health Place reveals the psych principles behind positive parenting to help show why it is an effective approach to explore. Click the link! You got this!
Here’s a nice (and short!) post loaded with great little tips and bits of wisdom. Some refreshing ideas, like making sure to “catch them being good” and use the moment to help your kids build confidence, pride, and ownership of their behavior. There are a bunch of good ones here from American Family Physician, so dive on in!
General Parenting Tips
Look for chances to catch your children being good. Recognize their good behavior with a kind word or a pat on the shoulder. Most children enjoy attention from their parents. Try to catch your children being good often, and only spend five to 10 seconds of time acknowledging them. The key is to recognize the good behavior, but not be disruptive.
www.aafp.org
This one from Parent Map is really worth reading. Maybe it will inspire some new behaviors to talk about and trying to reinforce with the kids. (Hopefully, with Smiles & Frowns.) But it’s really offers a good perspective that leads back to modeling good communication, respect and empathy. Read on!
It’s not just about being nice. Learn how praise creates a powerful feedback loop that can help build better behavior for the long haul. This one from Just Mind Counseling is a really interesting read that might give you some encouraging new ideas.
