Being a parent can be stressful especially when it comes to discipline your child. You do your best to teach your little sprout “no” but the sad faces give you heart aches every time you try to teach them right from wrong. We’re not here to tell you are doing everything wrong, but did you know that the way you are saying “no” to your child makes all the difference?
Saying “no” the right way, can change your life drastically. Imagine this: no more tantrums, less sad and frowny faces… that sounds like heaven right? You too can get to that level of bliss with your little ones and there are a few simple tips you use to make sure you are saying “no” in a way that is more constructive.
The biggest mistake parents usually make is saying no… and then repeating it a hundred times after that. The reason for this is that sometimes children just don’t understand why you are saying no. Therefore, it’s good to explain your reasons for not giving them what they want. That way they get a sense of why you are saying “no” and they are less likely to start whining or to throw a tantrum.
The second mistake that is being made by many parents is that they let their children manipulate a “no” into a “yes”. Stick to your parental principals, so that your kids know you mean business when you are denying them something.
Of course you don’t have to be a bully and always say “no”. You could offer an alternative to what your child is asking for and there also are ways to say “yes” which actually mean the opposite. If your little one asks you for something you can say something like “yes you can, if…”. That way he or she will know that sometimes you can get what you want and they learn how to compromise.
Lastly, we want to emphasize that, if you have a partner, it is very important to be on the same page when it comes to parenting and to not contradict each other. Your kids are very smart creatures who will find a way to get what they want by playing the two of you off against one another.