From the “Real Moms of West Michigan” segment on Star 105.7 with Tommy and Brook…
Do you feel like your kids don’t listen to you?
You tell your kids to pick up their stuff or turn off the tv and instead of responding they look right through you and you feel like the teacher on Charlie Brown. Waa, waaa, waa.
It might be how you’re saying it.
You might be doing what so many of us do and that is to give your request in the form of a question.
Will you pick up your toys? Now ok?
Stop picking on your brother, ok?
When we add the word “ok” to the end of a request, our child assumes they have the option of not doing it.
What we do, without even realizing it, is relinquish our authority and drag out the process of getting our child to do what we are asking them. Then we continue to ask until we are frustrated and ready to boycott motherhood althogether.
But thankfully, just by changing a few words we can take our authority back.
Moms, the key is to be clear with our requests.
Please pick up your toys now.
Or
Turn off the TV and come to dinner.
Be specific and straight forward. Close that opportunity for debate, stay in charge mom!
It’s an simple fix to a frustrating problem. I hope it helps!
I do the ‘Real Moms of West Michigan’ segments on Star 105.7 with Tommy and Brook every Tuesday morning around 7:05 AM. If you are not in the West Michigan area you can listen on iHeart radio
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