These tips will help your kids listen to you the first time
The number one tip sounds bold...
We live in a different time. A time when we cannot parent the same way our parents did and expect the same results.
It is for this reason that this generation of parents is open to any sort of assistance they can get, because our breed of kids can really be a handful...
Experts have noted that the number one tip to get your kids to listen to you is to stop repeating yourself.
That sounds like a bold decision considering we are sometimes hardwired to repeat ourselves.
It is also naive for us to think that our kids are always listening to us when we ask something of them. If they are having screentime, for instance, and we ask them to pick up their toys, they are not listening.
So, a great tip is to get their attention and then share your request with them. Remember to give them a second chance, we aren't drill sergeants (although it feels that way sometimes). Get their attention and make sure they are actively listening to you.
"Using fewer words will ensure there’s less room for misinterpretation. Speak to your child calmly, pointedly, and with a smile on your face." (MSN)
Another way of making sure they listen is to reiterate what you have asked them for. Don't lose your cool. Walk up to them and help them understand the task at hand.
It's so easy to get upset with your kids when they don't listen, but we sometimes fail to realise that they are not adults and need time to reconfigure. Be there for them and help them through it.
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Also, how would you feel if someone interrupted you while you were doing something you enjoy? Explain that you understand they are busy but you need their help.
Ask them for their cooperation.
"You can say something like 'I could really use your help since it’s bath time. Do you want to do it now or in five minutes?' Once they’ve decided when they want to hit the bath, have them seal the deal with a pinky promise." (MSN)
Learn to be present when you are talking to them, being on your phone and asking them to clean up is not going to be received well. Get down to their level and give them undivided attention.
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