logical-consequences

In this series about logical consequences, we’ve discussed principles for letting kids suffer the logical consequences of messes that they get themselves into. Sometimes we need to actually engineer a solution. For example, we can’t safely let a child learn the consequences of running into a busy street. But we often can engineer safe glimpses of what happens when they ignore a rule. Here are three key steps to engineering glimpses of real life for our kids…

In this second post on using logical consequences with kids, I want to discuss some more important principles of using the technique. These principles help us use logical consequences in a way that’s loving, practical, and sets our kids up for success…

As we continue to talk this month about using logical consequences with our kids, I want to focus on some very important principles of how to use them. If we don’t use consequences wisely and lovingly, particularly with kids who have suffered trauma, we can unwittingly compound the damage…

Returning to our theme this month of logical consequences, I want to talk about one very important principle — logical consequences only work with a lot of nurture and love. It’s easy to concentrate on the high structure part of letting kids learn from the consequences of their actions. At the same time, we can’t forget that our focus is on letting our kids learn — and they will learn best when we are there to empathize and help them learn. Logical consequences is all about both…

In my last post, I talked about how we define and think through logical consequences. In this post, I want to discuss why logical consequences work well for kids who have experienced trauma. There are several profound benefits that make logical consequences better than either lectures or unconnected penalties that we often try to use with our kids…

For the next few blog posts, I want to talk about one of the most important techniques I’ve found for helping children who have suffered trauma, which is using the logical consequences of their behavior. In some cases, we simply need to stand aside and let them learn from the consequences, such as getting a bad grade after waiting until the last minute to complete a project. Other times, we need to actually engineer a glimpse (a safe glimpse) of how the world works. In my next posts, I’ll discuss principles for using logical consequences, but first we need to establish exactly what I’m talking about…