One Mom's Parenting Struggle: From Apple Cores to Discipline That Works!

"My daughter Samantha is incredible and I love her so much...yet, she drives me absolutely crazy!" says teary-eyed mom who is struggling with a 9 year old going on 48. "She fights me on everything...from reading to cleaning up her room to putting her darn apple cores in the garbage!"

Five minutes ago this mom was a stranger to me (an anonymous woman among 1800 at a women's conference in Dallas, Texas). Yet once she found out I am the author of the book, "When You're About To Go Off The Deep End, Don't Take Your Kids With You" out pours her dam of parenting frustrations and mommy-guilt. She feels alone, believes there is no hope; yet, I know there is.

Hundreds of thousands of moms encounter power struggles that make them weep. The hope? Well... that lies in the realization that:

• "If you care about any issue more than your child you've got an uphill battle you will never win. The only way to make your child see your point and gain her full support is when you find your child's buy in--the what's in it for me!"
  
  - Kelly Nault, MA, Award Winning Parenting Author and Founder of Ultimate Parent

Samantha's mom looks at me bewildered and asks, "But how can I find her 'buy in' with something like putting her apple cores in the garbage instead of leaving them all over the house? I've asked her a hundred time to do this!"

"So stop asking, and start doing! If you carefully follow my simple instructions your apple core dilemma will be solved in a matter of less than two weeks."

Here's what I shared:

"Simply and kindly tell Samantha that you are tired of picking up apple cores and from now on if you find any apple cores lying around the house you will not buy apples the next time you go to the grocery store."

"Let her know you will be happy to try it again the next time you go to the store, but if she chooses to leave apple cores lying around the house you will not buy apples next time. The key to your success is to not mention or point out the apple cores when you see them. Instead of nagging, just throw them out and do not buy apples during your next grocery run."

"If she makes a fuss when she sees no apples, smile at her kindly and say something like, I'm happy to buy apples next time I go to the store and if you choose to throw them out in the garbage I will happily continue buying apples for you."