2010
May 30
6 Ways to Bring our Your Kid’s Best Behavior
6 Ways to Bring out Your Kids’ Best Behavior
Have a perfect child — one that never whines, argues, throws tantrums or misbehaves? If you do, you can stop reading now. Continue reading, if you are often ready to pull your hair out because what you are doing with your child(ren) feels like it’s not working.
Here, some parenting 6 strategies and ideas you can use to bring out the best in your child, and keep more of your sanity, as well as, hair:
1. Stop Doing What Is Not Working
Are you tired of pleading and lecturing when your child does something wrong? If you are, STOP. Instead of threatening, pleading or lecturing after your child has misbehaved, look for something to commend while they are behaving the way you want them to behave.
Many parents vacillate between pleading, threatening, and scolding to excessively praising. Many parents seem confused about praise. Parents have been told for many years that it is good to praise your child(ren). Contrary to this popular belief, it is not. If you would like to read in much more detail about how very harmful praise is, read Nurture Shock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman and Discipline: The Hardest Job You’ll Ever Love written by me.
2. Notice and Commend
NOTICE — and commend — things that your child is doing well. Descriptive commendation is a powerful motivator. It catches kids doing the right thing and inspires them to think of themselves as considerate and capable people. The rationale is: what you notice, you get more of.
If you have read any of my many parenting books, you will know that I do not recommend praising your children excessively just because they are breathing, but I absolutely recommend you notice and commend behaviors and choices that you want to see your child(ren) continue to develop and strengthen. Although the act of noticing and commending is a very simple, many parents find it’s more challenging than they anticipated it would be.
Bad behavior is more salient. It is an “in your face” behavior and usually screams for a reaction. Hard work and discipline are required to stay aware enough to notice when your child(ren) is doing things right, such as not whining, not interrupting, not arguing and instead is being helpful, respectfully and loving to their siblings.
The best tool I know of to help you establish a habit where you can notice and commend is The Capables Early Childhhood G.R.E.A.T.T. Learning System™. Using the Capable of Greatness Cape™ and the Badges of Honor™ are an easy, fun, and yet wonderfully effective way for parents to notice, commend and reward great choices and behaviors. (You can find the Capables at www.GetCapables.com)
3. Vision, Values and Dreams
You have to take the time to envision your dreams, your life, your family and your futures with your children, you teach your children to dream and set goals toward succeeding in making the dreams in their hearts, a reality.
What kind of family you want to be?
What values does your family stand for?
What futures do you dream for yourself and your child(ren)?
A family that dreams and envisions a future together is a stronger, more bonded family. You not only need to discuss them, but you need to write them down and have each member of your family sign the list once it has been envisioned.
4. Be Consistent and Create Structure
Other than love, structure and consistency are the most important gift you can share with your children. Children need to know what to expect. They need to believe there will be consistent consequences, both positive and negative to their behaviors and that those consequences are not dependent on your mood, level of exhaustion or frustration, or your anger. Consequences should be agreed upon, understood, and consistent. If you have promised consequences, you must follow through with the consequences.
5. Listen with Heart
Active reflective listening is an important skill to learn. Listening well, positively effects how we relate to another. The most difficult time to listen is when you are upset or someone else is upset, but that is exactly when you need to listen well. When your child is upset it takes discipline on your part to step back and think before you respond. Just because your child is upset, doesn’t mean you need to be. If your child has lost his temper and is throwing things around, your first response might want to be to attempt to get your child to communicate. If your child does not want to communicate, you need to make sure that your child halts the tantrum.
It’s often hard for a child to put what he or she’s feeling into words. “But when you have taught them to listen with heart, over time your child develops a vocabulary for expressing heart-felt feelings so that they don’t bottle them up inside and act on them inappropriately.
6. Do “Right-way” Replays
The next time your child misbehaves, stay calm and teach them to rewind. Instead of scolding, repeating, reminding or lecturing, which does not help change behavior or teach anything positive, consider trying a “right-way replay”. This is creative way for parents to follow through in confirming and validating the rules and standards they’ve established with their kids. Simply ask your child to act out things again, but this time, do a “right way replay.”
Dinnertime is the perfect opportunity to utilize right-way replays in your home. If you 3-year-old child hates to use their fork, for example, “Whenever they start to eat their food with their fingers instead of their fork, you can simply say ‘Whoops, it’s time for a right-way replay. You can make disciplining and teaching your child fun. When you see your child using her fork instead of her fingers, give her descriptive commendation, like ‘I noticed you are getting proficient using your fork.” Smile and nod along with your commendation.
Or when your child hits their sibling. Catch them immediately to do a “right way replay”. “Whoa, I think you might be confused about how we treat one another in this home. Let me help remind you. In our home we build one another up, not hurt one another or tear one another down. Now, stop, take a breath and get ready for a “right way replay”. Say something positive and supportive to your brother and tell him you never want to hurt him, but always want to be there to support him.”
This is a powerful way to change the angry dynamic of sibling relationships. Doing “right-way replays” helps to boost your child’s confidence and helps them confirm behaviors that get your approval.
Dawn L Billings is an the author of over 20 books and hundreds of articles on parenting, relationships, entitlement and networking, and an ardent advocate for women’s and children’s issues. Dawn is the CEO and Founder of The Heart Link Women’s Network, Trova Women Business Directory and Trova Small Business Directory and The Heart Alliance.com international women’s networking organizations and communities.
Dawn is the creator of the NEW Parenting Tool called Capables, a revolutionary parenting tool and Toddler toy that ends whining and tantrums for good. In 2008 Dawn was selected by Oprah Magazine and The White House project as one of 80 emerging women leaders in the nation. Find out more and buy Dawn’s books, Women Lifting the World inspirational videos to uplift the hearts of those you love, and the NEW Toddler Teaching Toys called CAPABLES Dawn is also the architect of the Primary Colors Personality Test
Take the opportunity to attend a Heart Link Women’s Network networking event. Check out our women networking events and find a gathering near you! You will be so glad you did. Also check out - TROVA NOW Women Business Directory, and TROVA Business Directory for all small businesses. TROVA in Italian means “Find”. Would you like for your business to be found easily both locally and nationally? That is what our new business directories TrovaBusinessDirectory.com and TrovaWomenBusinessDirectory.com are all about. For more information about how to get your women owned business listed for FREE visit: TrovaNow
2010
May 29
Women Networking with Confidence: Step 3
Filed under: Business for Women, HLN Spotlights, Marketing Tips, Networking
Women Networking with Confidence: Twelve Simple Steps –
Step 3 – Success is always Built on the Back of Many Failures
3. Success is always built on the back of many failures. Failure is the way we learn. It is the way we fortify ourselves. Failure teaches us many things but the most important thing failure teaches us, is success.
After a disappointment, don’t give up, instead do just the opposite and open your heart and mind to what’s next. Ask yourself “what is there for me to learn from this experience?” “How can I become better and stronger because of this?” Believe that something better is on its way. Focus on the opportunities that surround you. Reevaluate where you are and set even clearer goals on how to get where you want to go. Always use disappointment to learn and grow stronger. As I said earlier, success is always built on the back of many failures. Women networking together can be that extra support and encouragement we need when we are feeling fragile or vulnerable. Never forget the power of next.
Dawn L Billings is an the author of over 20 books and hundreds of articles on parenting, relationships, entitlement and networking, and an ardent advocate for women’s and children’s issues. Dawn is the CEO and Founder of The Heart Link Women’s Network, Trova Women Business Directory and Trova Small Business Directory and The Heart Alliance.com international women’s networking organizations and communities.
Dawn is the creator of the NEW Parenting Tool called Capables, a revolutionary parenting tool and Toddler toy that ends whining and tantrums for good. In 2008 Dawn was selected by Oprah Magazine and The White House project as one of 80 emerging women leaders in the nation. Find out more and buy Dawn’s books, Women Lifting the World inspirational videos to uplift the hearts of those you love, and the NEW Toddler Teaching Toys called CAPABLES Dawn is also the architect of the Primary Colors Personality Test
Take the opportunity to attend a Heart Link Women’s Network networking event. Check out our women networking events and find a gathering near you! You will be so glad you did. Also check out - TROVA NOW Women Business Directory, and TROVA Business Directory for all small businesses. TROVA in Italian means “Find”. Would you like for your business to be found easily both locally and nationally? That is what our new business directories TrovaBusinessDirectory.com and TrovaWomenBusinessDirectory.com are all about. For more information about how to get your women owned business listed for FREE visit: TrovaNow
2010
May 28
Women Networking with Confidence: Step 2
Filed under: Business for Women, HLN Spotlights, Marketing Tips, Networking
Women Networking with Confidence: Twelve Simple Steps –
Step 2 – Show Up
2. Show Up. The truth is, showing up is one of the most important rules of success not just for networking, but in all areas of your life. Just attending, just showing up to a networking event helps to build confidence. Once you are there, especially if you have taken the time to find a venue that fits your business and personality, you will soon be feeling more confident for as you acclimate, the fear and tension you have around things you are unaccustomed to completely disappears. It is important to find the right venue. If you are a woman and not very seasoned networker it might be better to begin attending a networking event like The Heart Link Women’s Network. It is an all women, intimate, comfortable and very supportive environment that will put you at ease.
Dawn L Billings is an the author of over 20 books and hundreds of articles on parenting, relationships, entitlement and networking, and an ardent advocate for women’s and children’s issues. Dawn is the CEO and Founder of The Heart Link Women’s Network, Trova Women Business Directory and Trova Small Business Directory and The Heart Alliance.com international women’s networking organizations and communities.
Dawn is the creator of the NEW Parenting Tool called Capables, a revolutionary parenting tool and Toddler toy that ends whining and tantrums for good. In 2008 Dawn was selected by Oprah Magazine and The White House project as one of 80 emerging women leaders in the nation. Find out more and buy Dawn’s books, Women Lifting the World inspirational videos to uplift the hearts of those you love, and the NEW Toddler Teaching Toys called CAPABLES Dawn is also the architect of the Primary Colors Personality Test
Take the opportunity to attend a Heart Link Women’s Network networking event. Check out our women networking events and find a gathering near you! You will be so glad you did. Also check out - TROVA NOW Women Business Directory, and TROVA Business Directory for all small businesses. TROVA in Italian means “Find”. Would you like for your business to be found easily both locally and nationally? That is what our new business directories TrovaBusinessDirectory.com and TrovaWomenBusinessDirectory.com are all about. For more information about how to get your women owned business listed for FREE visit: TrovaNow
2010
May 27
8 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Social Media for YOUR Business
May 27th, 2010 | 
Author: Brenda Thomson
8 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Social Media for YOUR Business
I was talking to a business coach the other day and the conversation turned to social media. He made the comment that he really couldn’t see why any business owner would want to waste their time chattering on Facebook or Twitter.
Mmmm perhaps not the business coach to have in age of the social media revolution.
A couple of years ago hardly anyone had heard of social media, at least in a business context. Even a year ago most businesses were uncertain about whether they should be latest marketing strategy. However now more and more small businesses are realising the enormous opportunities social media presents. Just as email and websites turned marketing upside down a few years ago social media is the next marketing wave. But at the end of the day , the million-dollar question is: can social media help small business owners make more money?
Well here are 8 reasons why you might want to make sure that you are using social media in YOUR business.
1. Brand recognition/exposure
Social Media is a great equaliser. You don’t need huge budgets to participate in social media. (Although if you put a dollar value on your time, and you should, it certainly isn’t free!) However Social Media opens up the possibility for small business with small budgets to build big brand awareness practically overnight.
A recent study of over 1800 social media marketers showed that the number-one benefit of social media marketing is building brand awareness. A significant 85% of all marketers surveyed indicated that their social media efforts have generated exposure for their businesses. (2010 Social Media Marketing Industry Report. www.socialmediaexaminer.com)
In fact a staggering 89.2% of the small business owners (0 -100 employees) surveyed reported that social media had resulted in greater exposure for their business.
2. Customer Service
Customer relations and customer service are an excellent use of social
media. Companies that are good at customer service know that a well handled complaint can turn a problem customer into a raving fan literally overnight. Unfortunately most unhappy customers don’t complain, they just vote with their feet and you never see them again. But what are they saying about you on Twitter? Keep track of the negative Tweets about your company and deal with them and you have the opportunity to turn a bad situation into a good one literally with 140 characters.
If you are not on social media for any other reasons then this one, it’s the biggie! If you are not on social media your customers almost certainly are. And if they aren’t yet, they soon will be and your competitors and suppliers almost certainly are.
Make sure that you know what they are saying about you and be prepared to act appropriately and FAST! Here’s a great example of customer service at work on social media the Delhi Traffic Police has created a fan page on Facebook. At the time of writing this post it had only been around for about a week and already had 2816 “likes” . Not sure what it will do to solve Delhi traffic congestion which I have personally seen in action, but could be good PR for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.
3. Networking Opportunities
Social media, particularly channels such as Facebook and Linked In are the ultimate Networking event…and suddenly you have the opportunity to network with whoever you want to, not just the people who happen to show up at your local Chamber of Commerce meeting.
Want to connect with someone in particular?
You can search all of your friends and contacts to see who is already connected to them and ask for an introduction.
Alternatively you can start to follow them on Twitter or become a Fan on Facebook then start to add value to the conversation, comment intelligently on their posts and Tweets (make sure you add value). Once you have done your groundwork you will be in a position to connect.
Looking for people to create a strategic alliance or joint venture with?
Social media allows you to thoroughly research potential partners, get insights into the values and philosophies, see what their followers and fans think of them, BEFORE you make an approach.
Obviously I’m not suggesting for a moment that social media should replace live networking in your networking plan.. but make sure you add it to your networking mix.
4. Community Building/loyalty
My apologies to whoever said this as I can’t recall the source, but it went something like this:
“The job of a business is to create customers… the job of a business in the social media age is to create customers who create customers!”
Community building is growing an audience of consumers or customers.
Social media is the ultimate referral engine. Consumers are sick and tired of being manipulated by advertising, they are 75% more likely to buy something referred by a friend or trusted associate than by an advertiser. By building a community of fans and followers on social media you are building a community of raving fans who will be the trusted referrers for you company and products.
If your customers or potential customers are using social media to make buying decisions (and the probability is that they are) can you afford not to be there building your team of “raving fans”?
5. Backlink/SEORanking
Google hates being manipulated by SEO experts – that’s why they are constantly changing and updating their algorithms. (The calculations they use to determine which site ranks higher in the search results).
But it’s harder to manipulate popular opinion. Google is wise to this and therefore social media links, Twitter, Facebook, Digg, etc all show up in search engines. Higher ranked, shared, and retweeted posts and articles and Your Tube videos can all result in more traffic to your website..
Plus social media can easily go viral. I was listening to a webinar the other day about spinning an article – that basically means changing enough words in the article so that Google no longer recognises it as the same article, and then sending it out to 50 or more article directories in order to get backlinks to your site. Clearly an arduous, time consuming and boring process. (And I’m pretty sure if I was Google I’d see that as a bit manipulative.) On the other hand using social media you can write one really good article, post it on your blog and share it across all the social media sites, and it gets shared 50 or so times by friends, and contacts and their friends and contacts. Which would you rather do? Write one high quality article that gets shared 50 times on social media sites? Or write 50 different articles or even just one article and spend hours spinning it into 50 variations in order to submit it to 50 directories. I know what I’d rather do!
6. Market Intelligence
Market intelligence is typically something that small business hasn’t been that good at collecting. Focus groups, massive surveys, hiring market research firms all cost money. Not usually in the budget of the average small business owner. Social Media changes all that. Even the smallest business with absolutely no market research budget can interact with clients and potential clients to
• Generate new product ideas.
• Improve current product features.
• Improve service lines.
Then there is the other side of market intelligence. What are your competitors up to? What are your clients saying about you and about your competitors. Using simple low cost/no cost social media tools you can keep track on what is being said about you and your competitors and about what your target market are looking for, complaining about, discussing and commenting on.
Then all you need to do is respond appropriately
7. Making Sales
For all those sceptics out there who want to see a return on investment from social media and who only measure ROI on the dollar value sale: Yes social media does drive sales for both online and offline businesses. And it’s easy to track – simply use different web-links or create special offers that are unique to a particular social media channel and track the results. One particularly powerful example comes from Dell who have sold $6.5 million of overstocked, discounted hardware via ONE Twitter account in less than two years. And the great thing about social media is that small business has just as much access to it as big business.
Still I think Erik Qualman says it so much better than I can…
8. Continuing Professional Education
With information changing at an increasingly rapid pace.. how do you keep up to date with the latest trends, changes and information in your industry and profession? Universities and business schools struggle to keep up to date. Text and reference books are out of date often literally before they go to publication.
For an overview of the changes that have taken place in the way we share information over the past 200 years check out this article by Thomas Baekdal
Social Media gives you the opportunity to identify the thought leaders, gurus and innovators in your industry or profession and find out what they are thinking and doing, almost literally as they think it and do it, and when they Tweet, Blog or Status Update it to let their followers and fans know about it on Social Media. Better still you have the opportunity to enter into the conversation, comment, ask questions and add ideas of your own. An opportunity to become seen as a thought leader, innovator and guru yourself.
So there you have it 8 great reasons why you should be using Social Media in your business. If at least one of them doesn’t make you sit up and take notice then perhaps it’s time to shut up shop and retire before social media does it for you!
Like to add your views – either for or against using social media for small business owners. Please join in the conversation and let us know what you think!
2010
May 26
TROVA Women Business Directory Video
TROVA Women Business Directory.
Check out this awesomely fun video and SHARE!
2010
May 25
Women Networking with Confidence: 12 Simple Steps – Step 1
Filed under: Business for Women, HLN Spotlights, Marketing Tips, Networking
Women Networking with Confidence: Twelve Simple Steps –
Step 1 – Invest in Becoming a Master Networker
Women networking together would seem like an easy and natural thing to do, but studies have shown that women, although natural networkers when not thinking about networking, they often freeze up and get knots in their stomach when it comes to what they think is professional networking.
It is easy for women to share resources with one another in the ladies room, but when it comes to actually attending networking events, women start feeling uncomfortable. That is why Dawn Billings, CEO & Founder of The Heart Link Women’s Network, and TROVA Women Business Directory, author of over 20 books on parenting, relationships, communication and networking shares Twelve simple Steps that can help women network with more confidence.
Step 1. Invest in becoming a master networker. Learn everything you can about professional networking. Professional networking is the greatest “one on one” marketing tool that exists in today’s world.
Great business is built on great relationships and great relationships are built on your integrity, follow thru, willingness to give, and your knowledge of your product or service. Take time to become an expert in both the company you represent and in networking, and you will quickly feel more at ease in networking situations.
As you gain knowledge and ease, it will impact how others experience you in a networking environment. People can feel confidence. People love confident people, not arrogant, or stuck up people, but people who exude real confidence. So step one in gaining more confidence in networking situations so that you can build and strengthen your business is to build and strengthen your networking skills by investing in becoming a master networker.
Dawn L Billings is an the author of over 20 books and hundreds of articles on parenting, relationships, entitlement and networking, and an ardent advocate for women’s and children’s issues. Dawn is the CEO and Founder of The Heart Link Women’s Network, Trova Women Business Directory and Trova Small Business Directory and The Heart Alliance.com international women’s networking organizations and communities.
Dawn is the creator of the NEW Parenting Tool called Capables, a revolutionary parenting tool and Toddler toy that ends whining and tantrums for good. In 2008 Dawn was selected by Oprah Magazine and The White House project as one of 80 emerging women leaders in the nation. Find out more and buy Dawn’s books, Women Lifting the World inspirational videos to uplift the hearts of those you love, and the NEW Toddler Teaching Toys called CAPABLES Dawn is also the architect of the Primary Colors Personality Test
Take the opportunity to attend a Heart Link Women’s Network networking event. Check out our women networking events and find a gathering near you! You will be so glad you did. Also check out - TROVA NOW Women Business Directory, and TROVA Business Directory for all small businesses. TROVA in Italian means “Find”. Would you like for your business to be found easily both locally and nationally? That is what our new business directories TrovaBusinessDirectory.com and TrovaWomenBusinessDirectory.com are all about. For more information about how to get your women owned business listed for FREE visit: TrovaNow
