Power Plays: The Games Families Play

• Power plays are the games that families engage in to create a __________ of balance.

  • A way for families to get their __________ met.
  • Most discipline ____________ the very behaviors parents wish to stop (“yell at the child gives negative attention).
    

• “Playing on the Seesaw.”

  • Rather than balancing love and limits __________ together, parents _________ to one another.
  • The more __________ set by one parent, the more the other parents provides the ___________.
    • Child misbehaves
    • Father yells
    • Child cries/mother intervenes
    • Father resumes discipline
    • Mother withdraws

• Getting off the seesaw:

  • 1. Don’t get stuck focusing on the __________.
  • 2. Focus on the other parents need to be a _________ parent (values).
  • 3. Show __________ for the other parents values even you can’t _________ their behaviors.
  • 4. Chose a better ________ and learn to discuss ways to work together (may require professional help).

• Parenting Tools for the Other Parent:

  • “Squatters Rights.”
  • “Tag Team.”

• Parenting Tools for Children:

  • “Choices.”
  • “Broken Record.”
  • “Take Action.”

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