I was reading this fascinating summary of the SENG Conference over on the Eide Neurolearning Blog.  The post’s author collects some great advice for parents of gifted children, though much of the advice is equally applicable for all parents.  One piece of advice from Dr. Paul Beljan really struck me:

Don't just say, "don't do this" - give children a positive alternative - "don't do this, do this instead..."

Now, replace the word “children” with “clients” and you’ll start to see what struck me.  Lawyers are often thought of by clients as deal breakers.  Next time your client is about to do something unwise, give them an alternative.  Show them you are thinking about making their businesses better.  Tell them, “Don’t do this, do this instead …”

And for parents, the entire post is worth a read.  The other great pieces of advice from Dr. Beljan I know I’ll be trying with Grace are:

[T]he 'Zen of Bean Sorting' - Children are given a calming and pleasant sensory task when they lose control or can't regulate their impulses. Privileges are suspended until the beans are sorted.

For time-outs, don't use a clock. Use the same words every time. "When you're quiet, you can come out."

Be careful how you talk. Be instructive with requests - "Put this in your room", not "Can you pick this up?"