The Think Space

The Think Space is a plan to help children take responsibility for their own behavioral choices while offering adults a safe and responsible way to remove themselves from the emotional loop of misbehavior.

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QuikTips Bundles

QuikTips is a series of short, practical articles that feature easy-to-use tools for low-stress child management.

Bundled in small packets, and arranged by topic for easy reference.

Learn more....

Everything you say to a child either builds him up or tears him down.
There is no middle ground.

- Carolyn Richert

What are QuikTips?

QuikTips is a series of short, practical articles, written by Calvin and Carolyn Richert, that feature easy-to-use tools for low-stress child management.

All techniques presented meet strict scientific and ethical guidelines and have been carefully "road-tested" for effectiveness in everyday use. Every method is thoroughly positive and, when used as intended, can help children develop skills of self-management, confidence, empathy and the many other positive character qualities needed in becoming well-adjusted, productive adults.

Also available for purchase: QuikTips Bundles are pre-printed small packets, arranged by topic for easy reference.

“What’s better than a compliment?”

“What a nice picture, Joey!”

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You compliment Joey’s ‘artistry’, even though it’s just a maze of scribbles!

You want him to improve his drawing, but will a compliment help?

When you stop to think about it, there is a character development issue with the compliment. It’s not always a negative thing, but it can be.

“How so?” you ask. “I thought we couldn’t give too many compliments to kids. Isn’t that the best way to encourage them?”

Certainly it is one way to encourage. But take a look at the outcome of using the compliment as ‘positive reinforcement’.

Surely you will agree that the term, “…all about me…” is a pretty accurate description of a generation of kids who have received heaps of compliments over the years.

And what do we tend to get in return? Backtalk, arrogance, tantrums when requests are denied, reflecting the “all about me” attitude.

Here’s the point.

  • Essentially, the compliment directs a child’s attention to himself, thus encouraging more of the ‘all about me’ mindset.
  • However, a sincere “Thank you for…” directs a child’s attention away from himself to the person offering the word of thanks.
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It’s a subtle shift. But it’s an important one to help your children find a healthy balance between considering themselves and others.

Some other benefits of using more gratitude than compliments:

  • Words of thanks gradually develop a culture of gratitude in your home or school. It’s a natural insurance policy against those irritating attitudes of selfishness and presumptuousness.
  • Gratitude teaches people to be positive. In the end, you will find that a person cannot be grateful and negative at the same time.
  • Gratitude helps you avoid the hypocrisy of telling someone they did a good job when they really didn’t. Still, you can genuinely thank them for their effort.

The cancer of ‘it’s all about me” is so subtle that we hardly notice it at first. Once there, however, you can’t blast it away without destroying other valuable qualities.

What to do? Consistent doses of gratitude will subtly bring the needed balance to your life with kids.

Remember. Compliments go to the ego while gratitude goes to the heart!

 

 

Our MISSION

To train adults in the use of positive guidance tools that encourage the inner growth of children.

Learning to communicate with and motivate children to make decisions with their heads and hearts.

Our LOGO

The Heart represents the inner child, which is our primary focus.

DWD Logo - Heart with Arrow

The Arrow shows the outward flow of a balanced child’s energy & awareness.

Our TAG LINE

"... from the inside out" defines the foundation of true character development.

OUTSIDE-IN is how almost all adults teach children until they learn the skills of DWD.

Our FOCUS

  • To help children balance the ‘all about me’ syndrome of childhood.
  • To raise children to be authentic at their core instead of superficial.
  • To guide children to use respect as their basis of interaction with others.