When children feel understood, their loneliness and hurt diminish. When children are understood, their love for their parent is deepened. A parent's sympathy serves as emotional first aid for bruised feelings. When we genuinely acknowledge a child's plight and voice her disappointment, she often gathers the strength to face reality.

When gentle persuasion [of children] falls on deaf ears, we resort to ridicule and rebuke. Then we return to threats and punishment. This is the modus operandi of a mutual frustration society.

Responsibility is fostered by allowing children a voice and wherever indicated a choice in matters that affect them.

When a child hits a child, we call it aggression. When a child hits an adult, we call it hostility. When an adult hits an adult, we call it assault. When an adult hits a child, we call it discipline.

Misbehavior and punishment are not opposites that cancel each other - on the contrary they breed and reinforce each other.

Parents often talk about the younger generation as if they didn't have anything to do with it.

If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others.