Whatever you reinforce with your child is what youre going to create more of. When you notice positive traits and make a point to praise those qualities, your childs behavior will match. By continually noticing negative actions and ignoring positive deeds, you may actually increase negative behavior in your child.

Ive somehow managed to gain the seal of approval from my daughters friends and become the unofficial go-to adult in cases of personal crisis. Its no small accomplishment, when you consider that the teenagers circle is one private club where membership is not for sale. I feel quite privileged to be trusted by them.

So here I am in Paris having breakfast with my dearest friend Vanina and her husband, along with their adorable two-and-a-half-year-old boy Laurent. Great food, great place, great friends. We dive into conversation. All would be fine and dandy and pretty close to blissful, if it werent for these darned obsessive interruptions from my beloved friend and her husband constantly requesting little Laurent to, Say hello, Give a kiss, Give a hug, Say please, Say thank you, Say bye-bye, Give a bigger kiss.