A few things I've learned as a teacher and a mom

If you enter your kids' or students' world for a while and give them your full attention, it makes all the difference. In return, they will happily respect your time when you need it.

You do not need to mince words with kids. They don't have a problem with "no" as long as there are plenty of "yesses" in their life. Of course it's good to give reasons, but kids aren't dumb. Most of the time they know why.

Deep down kids want to be held to high standards, often even higher than they set for themselves. They are forever grateful when you help them learn that they are stronger and more capable than they knew before.

Kids can start to contribute to the family as soon as they can understand language. It builds their self-worth to know that they are integral to the function of a larger unit. Every time they do a job well they build a mindset that says "I can handle responsibilities." As new challenges and tasks come along they will take them on more confidently because they know they can do it.

Take the time and make the effort very early on to guide, teach, direct, explain, and instill discipline. If you do this well in the early years, the rest of the years will be immensely more enjoyable.

When kids siblings have a conflicte enter the situation and state what the problem is. (somehting like, "Oh, I see what the problem is. Eli wants to play with the green legos, and Evie wants to play with the green legos too.) Then say, "I am confident you can solve this problem" and leave the room. This tip is from the book, How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so They'll Talk. I tried it when my kids were only 2, and I was amazed. They came running in and said,"We solved the problem. I gave the green legos to Eli and I played with the yellow ones! Now, at almost 3 they say, "How should we solve this problem?" and if I ask that, they come up with solutions. I recommend the mentioned book because it really helps get the kids thinking for themselves.

Real love is much more than a feeling inside. It is action, action, action.