Susan Morley Coaching
  • No matching results found.
  • Log in
  • Theme
  • Auto
  • Light
  • Dark
ASK SUSAN ANYTHING
GET HELP NOW
Parenting Consultation
Coaching Options
MEET SUSAN
About Susan
Why Parents Love Working With Me
TEENS
Parenting Teens
How To Talk To Teens
PROFESSIONALS
Refer a Client
MEDIA & RESOURCES
Media Appearances
Parent Coaching Vs Family Therapy: Which Support Works Best?
Blog: Because I Said So!
ASK SUSAN ANYTHING
Breaking The Power Struggle › Breaking The Power Struggle

Download the Workbook

B R E A K I N G T H E Pow e W r S T R U G G L E O R K B O O K

Crack the code to dealing with a defiant, argumentative, or strong-willed child

SiM

SUSAN L MORLEY


Welcome to Breaking the Power Struggle Course

I know you’re tired of feeling the guilt, exhaustion, and shame of constantly fighting with your child. You want a peaceful home where your children do what you tell them to do the first time.

You’re a good mom. You just haven’t cracked the code to dealing with a spirited, defiant, argumentative, or strong-willed child yet. Today is a good day because today I’m going to help you crack that code.

Use this worksheet to help you stay focused during the lessons and to jot down notes or questions.

Oh, before you get started, you’ll notice I mention a quiz at the end of the lessons. Unfortunately, the quiz didn’t make it when I changed to my new website (www.parentcoachatlanta.com). If you want to know your true parenting personality, you can always email me at susan@parentcoachatlanta.com and after answering a few questions, you’ll have your answer.

Susan

2

WWW.PARENTCOACHATLANTA.COM


Lesson 1: Natural Authority

Natural Authority is granted as soon as:

Natural Authority is born from

TRUTH BOMB:

The reason moms have power struggles with their children is because

The decisions we make for our children is always in the best interest of

When we use authoritative parenting we

  • Provide…
  • Manage…
  • Protect…
  • Distribute…

It’s important to be authoritative in our parenting because it prepares them for

3


Lesson 1: Natural Authority

Be + Have =

Summary

Parents have a natural

Be a

Behave like a loving authority and your children will become well-behaved,

NOTES:

them for

4


Lesson 2: Leadership Audit

Step One

is to ask what is working well.

Write that down here:

Step Two

is to ask what is working okay but needs to be tweaked.

Write that down here:

Step Three

is to ask what is not working at all.

Write that down here:


Lesson 2: Leadership Audit

Start with Step Three and write what you are going to work on here:

Tonight’s Homework is to (without judgment)

  • Practice…
  • Use a…
  • Write it because language plus motor equals…
  • Talk about this to…
  • My accountability partner is…

NOTES:

them for

6


Lesson 3: Alpha Speech

When a command (sentence) is really a question when it ends with

Ask yourself “Am I telling or am I…”

When we talk too much we sound like

Effective leaders (parents)

  • Use very few…
  • Say it…
  • Don’t use their…
  • Can add Ps and Qs back in once the children…

Tonight’s Homework is to replace

  • “Okay?” with…
  • “Will You” with…
  • “Wah wah wah” with…

Remember,

7


Lesson 4: Effective Consequences

Lesson 4: Effective Consequences

The number one question Susan gets from parents is

Even though I do everything right, my children will still

There are two kinds of consequences. They are

The most important part of delivering consequences is

As parents we never do these two things:

We need to teach our children that when they follow our directions, life is

All Good Things...

them for

8


Lesson 4: Effective Consequences

Rarely do we think of effective consequences in the heat

We can delay consequences for...

Young children up to:
School-aged up to:
Tweens up to:
Teens up to:

Strike while the iron is…

When we wait to deliver a consequence

  • It creates a bigger memory in our child’s…
  • They think they can’t get away with…
  • We feel…
  • Our child will accept the consequence more…

NOTES:


Lesson 5: Making This Work for You

The first thing I want you to do it (even if you need to do it NOW) is

Brainstorm things you want your children to do (chores, errands, etc.)

Use the KISS (keep it simple, sweetie) method and do not bite off...

I am going to tell my child to:

Go ahead! Susan is waiting.

What happened?

them for

10


Lesson 5: Making This Work for You

If your child said “no” that’s okay because

If my child says “no” some consequences I can give are

Things will get better and I’ll see real change in about

NOTES:

Completed Mark as complete

Susan Morley is a certified parenting coach based in Atlanta, GA. She provides non-clinical parent support for families navigating behavior challenges, screen-time struggles, and emotional dysregulation. If you're searching for a parenting coach near you—or need virtual coaching for strong-willed kids—you’re in the right place.

Terms and conditions
Home
Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2026 Susan Morley Coaching