Parenting Myths
"Sometimes, the way we analyze a problem keeps us entrenched in it..."

Let's say you aren't getting along with your mother-in-law. If you fall into the myth that "she just won't change," she probably never will. In fact, the divide between you and her is likely to spread to the size of the Grand Canyon before things get better.

But if you set aside your beliefs, start thinking of her as a reasonable person, and brainstorm ways to get along, you'll be amazed how quickly she'll become one of your avid supporters.

It's just a matter of stamping out the myth and acting on the reality.

The same holds true for parenting a defiant child. If you accept myths about what defiant kids can and cannot do, it will stall your attempts to help your child learn to behave. It's only when you put those myths aside that you begin to make progress.

Here are a few of the myths that we've seen in our years of counseling.

• Nothing Works with These Kids.
• What These Kids Need Is A Good Whooping.
• These Kids Don't Have The Skills To Behave, So How Can I Punish Them?
• Children Must Fully Understand The Consequence Beforehand.
• I Feel Responsible For My Child's Happiness.

For additional techniques to help you demystify these myths, you may want to read Dr. Levy's book "Try and Make Me".