Warmth and boundaries together
Kind does not mean permissive and firm does not mean harsh. State the boundary once, hold it without anger, and stay available for the feeling it causes. Redirect boredom-driven misbehavior into something better to do.
Attention is the tool
Catch them being good and say so specifically. Prepare children for transitions in advance, watch for patterns like jealousy or tiredness, and talk about the pattern rather than just punishing the incident.
Time-out done right
The AAP recommends time-out as a brief reset, not isolation: about one minute per year of age, warned in advance, followed by reconnection. It works for a broken rule - not for a big feeling, which needs coaching instead.
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