How do I avoid getting into difficult situations that I can’t get out of?

Here are a few tips from Miriam on how to think ahead and avoid situations of conflict.

• Prepare for success. Invest time and effort in the short term to reap long-term benefits.

• Think ahead. When you have time and are feeling positive, think about the situations that cause problems in your relationship with your child. Jot down a list if that helps.

• Think about it. Look at each one individually from your point of view. What are the triggers for the conflict, what happens, how do you feel about it and how do you react?

• Agree on a plan. Choose one issue at a time and discuss possible ways forward with your partner, if you have one.

• What does your child think? Talk to your child to find out their point of view. You may be surprised by how they interpret events.

• Discuss it with your child. Help them to learn that you can both make mistakes but you can also find ways to change how you behave so the outcomes are better for everyone.

• Be consistent. A child will test the boundaries but they feel secure when they know where the boundaries are.

• Regularly praise your child. Tell them precisely what it is you are praising. Don’t wait until they misbehave to give them your attention.