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Did you ever stop to think that what you say to your child's teacher might be something incredibly frustrating for him or her to hear? And if you knew that, wouldn't you want to know how to rephrase your statement or question?

Does it ever seem as if you've tried every parenting approach out there, only to find that nothing works with your child? Kids who exhibit behaviors of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) can leave you feeling confused, frustrated, angry and disappointed. It often seems like nothing matters to them, which can make it hard for you to know how to respond to their behavior and what consequences to give.

Does your child use anger or threats to get what he wants? Does he pick fights and blackmail you emotionally? Or maybe he acts helpless or plays sick to get out of doing chores or homework. Whether kids manipulate us aggressively or passively, this behavior makes most of us feel out of control and "played" by our kids. Debbie Pincus, creator of The Calm Parent: AM & PM, tells you how you can break this cycle while staying calm and in control.

If you’re the parent of a teen, you’ve probably heard a version of this coming from your child’s lips—or expressed with an eye roll or door slam. It’s very painful for us when our children suddenly can’t stand the sight of us, and act like they’d rather die than be seen with us. On top of that, many kids become disrespectful when they go through this phase of adolescence. They resort to name-calling, insults and other hurtful behavior. When your child starts doing this, you might look at him and wonder, “Who is this person, this kid who used to love me last year, but suddenly is embarrassed to be with me?”

It’s not easy to set limits, give consequences, and stay consistent as a parent—and your child isn’t going to show appreciation to you for doing it. If you’re feeling taken for granted, remember that one of your main goals is to teach your child to be a responsible adult.

In order to parent effectively, we must detach ourselves from our children’s feelings and endeavor to teach them the skills necessary to excel in life.

Learn how you can teach your kids to appreciate what they get this holiday season.

Here is a great article from “Empowering Parents” by Debbie Pincus, the creator of The Calm Parent AM & PM program about holiday stress. We all need a little help around this time of year and I think sometimes we forget just how overwhelming it can be for kids that are super sensitive.