307 | When Parents Call It a Bribe: Defending Choice Giving in CCPT
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Episode summary
In this episode, I respond to a question from Sarah in California about how to explain the difference between bribery and choice giving in CCPT—specifically after a parent watched the Cookies, Choices, and Kids video and thought it sounded like a bribe. I walk through the foundational CCPT principles that differentiate choice giving from manipulation and how limit-setting within CCPT actually empowers children rather than controls them.
We explore why true choices are rooted in mutual acceptability and ownership, and how bribes—no matter how well-intentioned—create control struggles, entitlement, and conditional behavior. I also contrast the outcomes of bribery vs. choice and offer practical language therapists can use to help parents better understand what choice giving actually means in the child-centered model.