When you hear the phrase, “guerrilla parenting techniques”, what images come to mind?  I see a big, broad shouldered soldier, dressed in green fatigues, with brown paint on his face.  His chest is crisscrossed with ammunition for the guns strapped on his legs.  He’s quietly hidden under the cover of trees, waiting to snipe away at the enemy with maximum impact.

 

“Guerilla”  was a term borrowed from Spanish used to describe small combat groups.  Guerilla warfare operates with small, mobile and flexible combat groups without a front line.  I thought using the term guerilla would be very appropriate when speaking of new parenting techniques for parents. 

 

I’m going to discuss:

  • What do I mean by guerilla parenting techniques
  • What they are not
  • Give some  examples
  • Explain why guerilla parenting techniques are helpful t parents and children

What do I mean by Guerilla Parenting Techniques?

  • You don’t give the usual response; you change it to catch your children off guard
  • You come in quietly and leave quickly
  • You are fully armed with unexpected ways to handle frustrating behaviors
  • You provide natural consequences instead of punishment

 

What They are not:

  • Severe consequences are not needed.  It is the certainly of a consequence that has impact
  • Consequence or punishment given to control, to manipulate and to demonstrate power.
  • Making children feel they are wrong

 

Examples of Guerilla Parenting Techniques:  I got these ideas from from Rita St. Clair’s book, 99 Ways to Drive Your Child Sane.

  • Constant chattering—.  Start watching an imaginary fly going around the room.  Watch it land somewhere, sneak up on it and pop it in your mouth.  Move your tongue around the inside of your cheek like the fly is trying to get out and let it loose and start over and/or turn to your child and say, “I’m sorry, were you saying something?”

 

  • Snotty attitude—walk by and hand your child a tissue.  Don’t say anything, just hand it to the child.  If he asks what it’s for, just say, “I thought you might need it.”  See if he figures it out on his own.
  • “That’s stupid.”  If you child says this phrase a lot, say, “No, this is stupid,” and do something really crazy like walk backwards with your head between your legs.

 

Why Guerilla Parenting Techniques are helpful to parents and children

  • Instead of yelling, parents keel their “cool”, which surprises children
  • Parents change the dance steps with their children; they move in new and unexpected ways, which throws the children off guard; it can shift tension and anger to silence and laughter instantly.
  • You use natural consequences for misbehavior instead of punishment, so the children have to look at how they created this instead of getting angry at their parents for punishing them

 

In summation, I’ve shared with you my explanation of guerilla parenting techniques; I’ve discussed what they aren’t; given you examples of some of these techniques and then explained why they are helpful to parents and children.  When I hear the phrase guerrilla parenting techniques, I  envision a picture of a strong, loving and spontaneous parent who isn’t afraid to have fun while catching his or child off guard; a parent who knows how to ambush children into behaving respectfully and responsibly at home.