Quiet and Still: Teaching Self-Control
To instill self-control in her children--especially her energetic little boys--Michelle uses a process that she calls Quite and Still (similar to Blanket Training, but without the toy). From the time they are young, the mother of many teaches her kids to sit quietly and slowly increases the length of time.
"It's not waiting until they do something wrong to correct them, but actually taking moments to train them," explains Michelle in our July 2011 interview. She recommends starting with increments of five minutes.
Here's how it works:
"I'll sit him in a chair, and I'll say, 'Okay, Mommy's going to sit beside you, and you're going to practice being still and quiet...yes ma'am?'...We may do that two or three times a day for about a week, and usually they catch it."
"What they're learning is self-control. (Click here for the Duggars' list of character qualities)...They're learning to obey Mommy's voice." One of Michelle's favorite mantras is "The first time I say it, you obey it."
"Then it can be transferred to when you're in the grocery store and they're sitting in the cart....They can learn to do that wherever they are because it's trained in their little hearts."
Michelle also stresses the importance of pouring out the praise. She and Jim Bob believe that one of the most vital parenting tips is to "praise your children ten times more than you correct them."
"It's not waiting until they do something wrong to correct them, but actually taking moments to train them," explains Michelle in our July 2011 interview. She recommends starting with increments of five minutes.
Here's how it works:
"I'll sit him in a chair, and I'll say, 'Okay, Mommy's going to sit beside you, and you're going to practice being still and quiet...yes ma'am?'...We may do that two or three times a day for about a week, and usually they catch it."
"What they're learning is self-control. (Click here for the Duggars' list of character qualities)...They're learning to obey Mommy's voice." One of Michelle's favorite mantras is "The first time I say it, you obey it."
"Then it can be transferred to when you're in the grocery store and they're sitting in the cart....They can learn to do that wherever they are because it's trained in their little hearts."
Michelle also stresses the importance of pouring out the praise. She and Jim Bob believe that one of the most vital parenting tips is to "praise your children ten times more than you correct them."
Quiet and Still: Teaching Self-ControlQuiet and Still: Teaching Self-Control
