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I’ve Started Using the Apprenticeship Model of Parenting
This is how it’s going
A few weeks ago, while at the mechanic, I got a call from my son’s principal after my son had been sent to his office for being disruptive. That call pushed me over the edge after a challenging week. Unable to control my emotions, I walked into the little bathroom at the corner of the waiting room and grabbed some toilet paper to wipe my tears. That’s when I noticed a sign taped to the door that read “OUT OF ORDER (yes, really).” You and me both, I thought.
The next evening, I brought my son to the library, where I found two parenting books — one titled The Good News About Bad Behavior written by parent mentor, Katherine Reynolds Lewis. Though some of Lewis’ thoughts come across as jumbled and unorganized, her book did provide helpful context and gave me ideas on how to understand and correct my son’s behavior.
Understanding Why Children Misbehave
Misbehavior is communication.
Often, bad behavior signifies a lack of executive functioning. Executive function refers to the ability to control impulses, prioritize tasks, and organize plans and develops more slowly in aggressive or oppositional children. Instead of viewing bad behavior as purposeful or spiteful, Lewis explains that parents…
