In the first post in this series, we looked at why willpower-based parenting resolutions fail by February. In the second post, we explored what needs-based parenting goals look like in practice, with five realistic examples you can try with your family.

Understanding your goals and the needs driving everyone's behavior is important. But understanding alone doesn't change what happens when your child refuses to put on shoes and you're already late.

You need strategies that help you respond instead of react—even when you're triggered and your nervous system has taken over.

In this post, I'll share five practical strategies for intentional parenting that bridge the gap between knowing what you want to do and actually being able to do it in the moment.

Once you understand your goals and the needs driving everyone's behavior, you need strategies to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

Here are five key strategies:

1. Identify needs before reacting

The next time your child does something that makes you want to yell, pause for just three seconds. Ask yourself: "What need is my child trying to meet right now?"

Maybe they're dumping water on the floor because they need to experiment and learn. Maybe they're hitting their sibling because they need your attention and don't know how else to get it. Maybe they're refusing to get dressed because they need........

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