Here are a few tips to get your discussions on toddlers and preschoolers started. For more tips and a discussion model, please go to the toolkit!

Ice breaker: Give 3 index cards to each participant.  Two of the cards have a character trait gift written on them, the other has a material gift written on it.

Tell the participants that these are gifts from them to their children as they grow to adults. But, tell the participants they must choose – they can only give 2 of these gifts to their children.  They must discard one card into a container.  What gifts did you keep to give and why?

Sample character trait gifts: connection, fairness, courage, self-discipline, generosity, imagination, honesty, empathy, makes the effort, kind, etc.

Sample material gifts: Baby Einstein, Elmo toy, Disney movie, lego set, Dora playset, etc.

Three samples questions for discussion on the first five chapters of No:

1. Do you agree that today’s parents have a more difficult time saying No than parents did in previous generations?  Why?

2. What do you think the effects of “More, Easy, Fast, Fun” and instant rewards are on kids?  

3. No describes three styles of parenting: permissive, authoritarian, and balanced.  How would you describe your own style of parenting?