Yes, you read that right.  Instead of telling your children you are proud, why not ask them how they feel about what they did?  Instead of having them impress you, why don’t you ask them to reflect on their sense of accomplishment?  It’s a great way to get them intrinsically motivated!  Cathy and Todd also discuss how you can listen, validate, and normalize while still saying NO.  Being respectful to your children does not mean you say yes all the time, it means you are authentic, kind and in charge – which means sometimes they will inevitably hear NO.

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