Parenting Strategies with Martha Burich

Martha Burich is an accomplished educator and author with a master’s degree in child psychology who taught as a college professor for 10 years and a high school special education teacher for 16 years. She has written “Yes, You Can Raise Happy, Responsible Children”.

Second Wind Women

00:00 / 00:37:02

Connect with Martha

Martha’s book is a five-star rated parenting book that is endorsed by Jack Canfield, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul. For over five years, Martha has volunteered at jails and treatment centers, helping people struggling with addiction while maintaining her own seven-year recovery journey.

Martha shares her journey from making common parenting mistakes with her four-year-old son to developing effective behavior modification strategies that saved her family relationships. She discusses how the same principles that helped her raise a happy, responsible child have proven invaluable in her work with special education students and incarcerated individuals—all centered on building self-esteem, clear communication, and letting people learn from natural consequences rather than punishment. Martha emphasizes the importance of telling people what to do instead of what not to do, allowing children to solve their own problems, respecting boundaries, and understanding that behavior issues often stem from low self-esteem rather than malice.

Martha encourages parents to stop blaming themselves for past mistakes and start making changes today, emphasizing the importance of telling children you love them every day, getting up to address misbehavior rather than just yelling across the room, and focusing on what children do right instead of constantly correcting them. She reminds parents to practice presence, communication, and appreciation with their children, and to remember that one-day-at-a-time approach to parenting changes.

You can find Martha at her website marthaburich.com, on Facebook, and YouTube under “Martha Burich Parenting.” Her book “Yes, You Can Raise Happy, Responsible Children” is available on Amazon and through bookstores and libraries.

Takeaways

Tell children what to do instead of what not to do, using positive language like “walk in the house” rather than “stop running.” Allow children to experience natural consequences and solve their own problems rather than constantly rescuing them from discomfort or failure. Building strong self-esteem is crucial for children because most behavioral issues, including bullying, stem from low self-worth. Effective discipline requires getting up and addressing misbehavior directly with the child rather than yelling across the room, and focusing on what they can do differently. Parents should respect children’s boundaries just as adults have boundaries, such as allowing them to put away toys they don’t want to share before playdates instead of forcing them to share everything.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Martha Burich
01:11 – From College Professor to High School Teacher
03:44 – The Reality Check of Teaching Special Education
04:34 – Writing the Parenting Book After Personal Struggles
10:18 – The Power of Asking Children “Why?”
14:28 – Working with Special Education Students
16:50 – The Problem with IQ Tests and Labels 19:32 – Publishing “Yes, You Can Receive Happy, Responsible Children”
22:11 – Volunteering at Jails and Treatment Centers
28:44 – Upcoming Book “Yes, You Can Teach Them All”
30:21 – The Three L’s of Parenting: Love, Lead, and Let Them Fail
32:31 – Final Words of Encouragement for Parents
36:49 – Closing and Contact Information

Keywords

parenting strategies, child psychology, special education, behavior modification, self-esteem building, positive discipline, addiction recovery, parent-child communication, natural consequences, teacher training

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