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Perfect Parenting Keys
An Excerpt from Perfect Parenting
By Elizabeth Pantley
The parent infected with lecture-babble-itis says, "I sent you kids up here 30 minutes ago to get ready for bed and nobody's even STARTING to get ready and it's after eight o'clock and it's a school night and WHY do we have to go through this EVERY single night couldn't you just ONCE get ready for bed without my getting angry about it and why is this room such a MESS again can't you ever ....." (Is it any wonder why kids roll their eyes?)
There is a cure for this dreaded disease. It involves making an effort to talk less, but say more. In other words, be very specific in your description, but use as few words as necessary. Even when the kids have ignored the first polite request, the above disastrous speech can be transformed into something like this, "Kids, it's eight thirty. Pajamas. Now." As you can see, this statement is clear and short. It is easy to understand. The advantages of using this technique are twofold. Your kids will cooperate more frequently with a brief, specific statement than they will with a lengthy tirade. And, it's fun and easy for you to do this!
Key #5: Don't give in to nagging, whining and pressure.
Many parents start out on the right track, but are derailed by an incredibly persistent child. It seems that when children couple their youthful energy with an extraordinary ability to pinpoint their parents' weak spots, the result is disaster.
If you're doing your job as a parent there are many times when your decisions won't be popular with your kids. When your child is nagging, whining and pleading with you, it's a sure sign that you've made the right decision. It's also a sign that you need to disengage from your youngster and teach him that you won't be swayed by his persistence.
