Today’s Parenting Tip:

DECIDE:   Preventing your child’s sadness can be a form of overindulgence.

PRACTICE:   Think about the last time you “replaced” something your child lost or damaged.

Thinking back on it, do you believe replacing it was a form of overindulgence? Here are some questions to help you figure that out.

1. Did replacing it keep your child from learning something he needs to learn (for example, how to deal with feelings or take care of his things)?
2. Did you replace it to make yourself feel better or to look like a better parent?
3. Did replacing it hurt anyone else or the environment?
4. Did you have enough money and time or did replacing it mean other needs or other people lost out?

Remember when we overindulge (which we all tend to do), we do so because we love our children.

But, it is better for them and us if we learn other ways to show our love and care.

(Thanks to Jean Illsley Clarke for connecting these questions to knowing about overindulgence.)

Today’s Decide and Practice daily parenting tip was inspired by our featured picture book, PLAIDYPUS.  Read the book to a child in your life each day as a reminder of what you are deciding and practicing that day.

Come back each day for another good parenting decision and how to practice it. (Each day’s activity will also be posted on the Daily Parenting Tips page for easy access.)

Read the whole story at Kids Keeping Track of Their Things.