HOME

BOOKMARK

NEWSLETTER

Join our newsletter to receive news of offers and discounts

Search

AS FEATURED IN...


Lucy Siegle On Eithical Living: Sunday March 5, 2006 The Observer

Weight Watchers®.co.uk. Now with an online plan.

Navigation


Parening Books

Search Now:
Amazon Logo


Guerilla Parenting Techniques: What Are They?


When you hear the phrase, 'guerrilla parenting techniques', what images come to mind? I see a big, broad shouldered soldier, dressed in green fatigues, with brown paint on his face. His chest is crisscrossed with ammunition for the guns strapped on his legs. He's quietly hidden under the cover of trees, waiting to snipe away at the enemy with maximum impact.

The word 'guerilla', was a term borrowed from Spanish used to describe small combat groups. Guerilla warfare operates with small, mobile and flexible combat groups without a front line. It seems appropriate to use this term when discussing new parenting techniques for parents. I'm going to describe what guerilla parenting techniques are; what they aren't; give some examples and then explain why they are helpful to parents and children.

Just like in guerilla warfare, it's always a great thing to respond to your children in ways totally different than what they expect. It catches them off guard and they start to watch you and listen better. Sometimes, you come in quietly, interact with them in new and unexpected ways, and then retreat quickly without a word. The less you say the better. You provide natural consequences instead of punishment; you make the consequence fit the crime. If a child is fighting with a sibling, perhaps that child has to do his sibling's chores the next day to make up for his negative actions, instead of being sent to his room. Successful parents are fully armed with unexpected ways to handle frustrating behaviors.

Guerilla parenting techniques do not involve giving severe consequences. They aren't needed. It is the certainly of a consequence coming that has impact with children. Therefore, physical punishment, especially when given to control, manipulate or to demonstrate power would not fall under this category of parenting styles. Making children feel they are wrong, belittling them and/or putting them down would also not be an example of guerrilla parenting techniques.

Let's look at three examples of guerilla parenting techniques. I found them in Brita St. Clair's little book called 99 Ways to drive Your Child Sane. The first is in response to a child who constantly chatters. Start watching an imaginary fly going around the room. Watch it land somewhere, sneak up on it and pop it in your mouth. Move your tongue around the inside of your cheek like the fly is trying to get out and let it loose and start over and/or turn to your child and say, "I'm sorry, were you saying something?"

If you have a child showing a negative, "snotty" attitude, walk by and hand your child a tissue. Don't say anything, just hand it to the child. If he or she asks what it's for, just say, "I thought you might need it." See if your child figures it out without your help.

What about the child who likes to say, "That's stupid." If you child says this phrase a lot, say, "No, this is stupid," and do something really crazy like walk backwards with your head between your legs. Then, walk away and leave the child wondering what that was all about. The more you do these activities, the more fun you begin to have.

Guerilla parenting techniques are helpful to parents and children because the parents don't get upset and yell at their children. Instead, they remain calm and in control. For some families, that would really shock the kids into watching their parents (What happened to my mom? I'm not able to get her upset and get my way anymore). Parents change the dance steps with their children; they move in new and unexpected ways, which throws the children off guard; it can shift tension and anger to silence and laughter instantly. Finally, You use natural consequences for misbehavior instead of punishment, so the children have to look at how they created their predicaments instead of getting angry at their parents for punishing them

In summation, you've read my explanation of guerilla parenting techniques, as well as examples of what they are aren't. Some examples of these techniques were given before I addressed how these techniques are helpful to parents who are successful with their children. Now, when I hear the phrase, 'guerrilla parenting techniques', I envision a picture of a strong, loving, confident and spontaneous parent who isn't afraid to have fun while catching his or child off guard; a parent who knows how to ambush children into behaving respectfully and responsibly at home.

MaryLynne White Can a Game Really Compel Any Child to Behave? "How to Become a Super Nanny in Your Own Home! Free Consumer Awareness Guide Shows You How..." http://www.ParentSurvival911.com

Want some free parenting tips? Visit MaryLynne's blog for daily tipes and ideas. http://www.parentsurvival.org


MORE RESOURCES:

Nursing beats sugar water for easing baby's pain
Reuters UK, UK - 6 hours ago
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Newborns who breastfeed while doctors obtain a blood sample from a heel experience much less discomfort than babies given sugar ...
Women At Calif. Hospitals ;With Mostly Low-Income Patients Less ... Medical News Today (press release)
all 7 news articles


Entertainment Tonight News

What special needs does a special-needs baby really have?
Slate - 2 hours ago
Babies with Down syndrome have all the same needs as babies without, but since they're slower to develop, they need them for a longer time. ...
Sarah Palin Talks About Her Family Struggles People Magazine
Sarah Palin's Speech ProLife Blogs
Sarah Palin Opens Up about Youngest Son Entertainment Tonight News
all 7 news articles


Someone has to speak up for the babies
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - 8 hours ago
THE aim of my recent raw-nerve comment on child care was not to distress parents, it was merely to speak up for all the babies. In most debates about child ...


Where babies are concerned a man just cannot win
Irish Times, Ireland - 21 hours ago
At the sentencing hearing, Black tried to persuade the judge that she should receive a light sentence for the sake of her baby, but Judge Paul Carney, ...
Is Sarah Palin really a woman? American Thinker
all 2 news articles


NYC Reports Largest Decline In Infant Deaths
eMaxHealth.com, NC - 8 hours ago
Of the 128961 babies born in New York City in 2007, 697 died before the age of one year, 43 fewer than in 2006. The city’s infant mortality rate remained ...
1107 babies died before first birthday, NC data for 2007 show News & Observer
NC Infant Death Rate, Number Of Births Increase Dunn Daily Record
North Carolina births peak in '07 Durham Herald Sun
Winston-Salem Journal
all 8 news articles


Non-Hospital Baby Abductions on the Rise
U.S. News & World Report, DC - Sep 4, 2008
4 (HealthDay News) -- Apparently foiled by increased security at hospitals, strangers who abduct babies are finding opportunities for kidnapping at other ...
Worst nightmare: Babies stolen from their beds MSNBC
all 11 news articles


Babies having babies is a bad thing, Pt. 2
Feministe - 4 hours ago
As a candidate, of course, any discussion of putting the baby up for adoption (a reasonable and intelligent choice, but one I knew my daughter would never ...


BBC News

Mothers bond better with babies after natural births
Independent, UK - Sep 3, 2008
By Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor Women who have a natural birth form stronger bonds with their babies than those who deliver by Caesarean section, ...
Caesarians 'may affect bonding' The Press Association
Normal Delivery = Better Mother Child Bonding TheMedGuru
Natural births 'create a closer bond with the baby' Daily Mail
New Scientist (subscription) - Telegraph.co.uk
all 52 news articles


NEWS.com.au

Hurricane technology predicts premature baby blow-ins
The Age, Australia - Sep 4, 2008
About 17000 babies are born prematurely each year in Australia but doctors have little way of know- ing which women will be affected. ...
World first computer program picks premature births ABC Online
World-first To Predict Premature Births Science Daily (press release)
Pregnant women to know if at risk of premature birth NEWS.com.au
MedIndia - The Age
all 46 news articles


stv.tv

Pop Tarts: Jessica Simpson Talks About Abuse, Wants to Make Babies
FOXNews - Sep 4, 2008
"I would love to be making records and making babies and hopefully I'm married in 10 years," Simpson added. "I have the dreams of every normal person. ...
Jessica Simpson wants to be great aunt Oneindia
Jessica Simpson's marriage wish China Daily
Jessica Simpson 'all about Music,' contemplates family International Business Times
Entertainment Tonight News
all 26 news articles

babies - Google News