Our Mission

Setting Limits Program: Balancing Firmness with Respect.

The experts agree that firmness and respect are the key ingredients of any effective guidance and discipline program, but they don’t all agree about how to put the recipe together. Some approaches place a heavy emphasis on firmness, but the methods go beyond firm to harsh. They tend to be punitive and not very respectful. Threats, intimidation, shaming, blaming, grounding, spanking, and taking away favorite toys or privileges for long periods of time are the usual tactics. Children may cooperate, but they do so out of fear, not respect. Some rebel in anger and resentment. Punitive methods are a set-up for strained relationships and power struggles.

Other approaches emphasize the importance of respect, but the methods lack firmness and tend to be permissive. Repeating, reminding, warning, cajoling, reasoning, explaining, bargaining, negotiating, lecturing, bribes and special rewards are the usual tactics. Children learn that cooperation is optional, not required. Permissive methods are a set-up for testing and power struggles and the fast lane to burn-out.

Is there an alternative to the ineffective extremes of punitive over-control and permissiveness? Fortunately, there is. You can say good-bye to all the ineffective methods that wear you down and get you nowhere. No more repeating, reminding, lecturing, threatening, grounding or spanking—and no more power struggles.

Our mission is to provide you with the tools you need to balance firmness with respect and get the cooperation you expect from children without giving in or exhausting yourself with coercive power struggles. You’ll learn proven methods that are clear, easy-to-use, and effective with children of all ages and temperaments. Join the thousands of parents and teachers who have learned to set clear, firm limits and move past power struggles to enjoy more cooperative and satisfying relationships with children.

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