I have really been enjoying building a bond of trust with Charlie lately.

Two things have been helping:

1. We've been working to keep track of the promises and commitments we make to him, and then we remind him when we follow through with the commitments. He is really understanding that his parents are trustworthy; you can see how much better he behaves when that bond of trust is there.

2. When Charlie gets upset, I get down to eye level and listen to him talk for a while. I don't say much, but really try and make sure he feels heard.

The combination of tracking promises and listening to him is really making a difference. I am kind of gobsmacked at how "reasonable" he seems since we've started using these techniques. I never expected that we'd be able to reason with a toddler, but I'm seeing it's definitely possible with a strong bond of trust.

I'm sure that now that I feel like I'm getting the hang of this stuff, it will all fall apart. But I'm just really enjoying things right now. But don't worry, I don't want any more kids ha.

Who knew that focusing on trust could make such a big difference in behavior!

Did your parents build a bond of trust with you growing up? Did it impact how you interacted with them?