Some principles I (random internet stranger) parent by: - there are no bad kids. Bad behavior is always driven by something a kid is struggling with. If they a

Some principles I (random internet stranger) parent by: - there are no bad kids. Bad behavior is always driven by something a kid is struggling with. If they are doing bad things it’s your job to connect with them, find out what they are struggling with, and help them feel loved and secure. Often this is just about naming the thing, expressing sympathy and unconditional love, letting them cry in your arms for a bit. You’ll know what the thing is by how they crumble when you name it. Like, “are you trying to get attention because we are running around packing the car for the holiday and you are scared we will forget you?” for example. And magically the behavior will stop. - when they are young, they are so tiny and their emotions are so big. Always remember it must be a terrible experience to be so angry that you lose the ability to walk or talk coherently in, say, a line at a supermarket. - maintaining emotional connectedness is the overarching goal. I want to be able to sit in the same room with my child, and feel comfortable, open, and connected to them without having to manufacture an activity or break the silence. - for the first decade, literally any time you want to do something with your kid, they will be up for it. Second decade, not so much. There is no such thing as too much time in the first decade. Your appetite will diminish way before diminishing returns set in.