When parenting comes up on it's own with other parents I have no problem discussing it, but I get all flustered and lost when I have to explain why I'm not spanking my daughter or putting her in a time out when she has an altercation with another child.
She is not especially confrontational or violent or anything, but occasionally toy snatching and frusterations will occure whenever multiple toddlers are playing together. When the other parent is a friend or aquaintence that we'll see again and I need to preserve my relationship with, I need to give some explanation if they're frusterated and feel like I'm not taking the situation seriously.
I'm at a loss for a good way of wording it that's to the point and makes sense without sounding like I'm too lenient or disrepecting their parenting choices. To say something like "Time outs are punative and blah blah blah" comes across (to me at least) as very judgmental of the fact that they do things differently than I do which is not my intention at all.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(
Atom
)
I tend to be outspoken! However, maybe a tactful and non-juegemental way to handle this would be to say "time outs don't work for us so we are trying something else and getting great results!" That makes it about you and not them and also opens the door to discussing gentle discipline since you never know they may be looking for new techniques too!
ReplyDeleteOh I can be very outspoken when it's somebody trying to insist that my way is wrong or their way is right... don't get me wrong. :)
ReplyDelete