Lardner is a member of theOffspring Facebook group, and always has great parenting wisdom to share.
When I asked her where she learned many of her tricks, she told me: At camp.
It makes sensesummer camp counselors must be facilitators, coaches and mentors all at once.
They encourage kids to take risks, work in teams and look out for others.
They have to navigate a world of unpredictability Susie foundwhatin her bunk?
!with leadership and composure.
One thing Lardner learned as a counselor was how to motivate kids.
She shares some tips.
This was especially good for the younger kids.
She discovered a way to keep things peaceful: Turn the misbehaving kids into leaders.
As a parent, she recently used the tactic.
He bumped my three-year-old out of her turn, so I met him at the bottom.
I said, Hey!
Then I said, This is Mickey.
She is three and is just learning how to wait her turn.
Can you show her how the big kids wait their turn?
The kid became her body guard for the rest of the day.
When he got ice cream, he brought her some.
Its a technique her therapist calls priming.
How many do you think you’re free to do today?
If we get up to six, you might splash me with a kickboard.
Its all about building trust with the kids and highlighting their acts of courage.
And always, the answer would be no.
She once had to do a rescue in the waterone child pulled another off her flotation gear.
I needed them to have a peaceful and safe resolution where everyone felt empowered, she says.
So I thought, how do I work backwards from there?
I said, See?
Lardner says she never wanted the so-called bad kid to walk away feeling embarrassed.
Instead, she says she wanted that kid to know what a hero acts like.
