Mom Enough hosts Marti & Erin have heard from a lot of parents who get frustrated with always being the disciplinarian (bad cop) while their partner is the “fun parent” (good cop). In fact, Marti & Erin occasionally have complained that they more often get stuck in the “tough guy” role of bad cop than the dads of their kids do. But, drawing on their professional background as well as their successes and failures as moms, they have helpful guidance about the type of discipline that is most effective in the long run. And they have some great tips on how you and your co-parent can get on the same page, not only for the sake of your children but for the benefits for your own relationship.

 

After this interesting discussion, stay tuned for a brief Relationships that Nurture with Robin Campbell from St. David’s Center, talking about the importance of unstructured outdoor play in your child’s development.

 

To what extent do you and your partner or co-parent agree on discipline and behavior expectations for your child? Think of a time when you did not present a united front. How did your child respond? How did you feel? What steps could you and your partner take, as needed, to parent more effectively together rather than taking on separate good cop, bad cop roles? Leave a comment below!

 

For Marti’s advice for a parent who’s a softie, click here.

For Marti’s advice for creating a united parenting front, click here.

For the Getting Kids Outdoors tip sheet, click here.

For the Disagreeing about Parenting tip sheet, click here.