"Go to your room and don't come out until you're ready to behave."
"How many times do I have to ask?"
"If you don't come to the table this instant, you won't get any food." Threats like these hardly work. Kids like to feel powerful, and seeing their parents lose control, is worth it to them.
So, how do you make your children listen to you?
The answer lies in communicating effectively with them.

• You need to speak in a firm and commanding tone.
• You need to be clear and specific.
• You need to communicate your request in five words or less.
• You need them to listen to you. Not listening is not an option for them.

For example, if you ask the kids to get ready for dinner and they refuse to turn off the television set and come, say "Dinner time. Please, turn the television off." Don't walk away and hope the kids will do as they're told. Stay with them until it's done. Turn off the television yourself if need be, and just thank the kids for listening. Don't yell, don't threaten the kids, just do it.

Be creative in your approach to disciplining your child. Give your child some motivation to co-operate with you. Don't bribe or threaten. For example, if your child refuses to sleep on time, don't scold. Just say, "Go get ready for bed and choose the book you want me to read."

The trick is to have realistic expectations from your children. Patience is one of the qualities of effective parenting. It will take time for your kids to become better listeners, and it may very well take you time to learn to stay calm.

So, concentrate on small improvements. Make sure your praise your child when he listens to you. Take it one step at a time.

Post Comment

Name : Email : Password : Comments :