Although having a child is one of the most wonderful things in the world, the little ones can be very annoying sometimes. Many times, we need them to obey our commands, as we want what’s best for them. But guess what? A child can’t understand the importance of what we say to him, especially because kids are usually full of energy and desire to explore the wonders of life.
If you’re also among those parents who complain that their toddlers don’t listen to them, we have some good tips for you. First and foremost, it’s totally unacceptable to be violent or verbally aggressive towards your child, as such a behavior can have serious repercussions for young minds. Furthermore, your child will hate you.
“How can I help you?”
If your toddler can’t seem to tie his shoelaces, don’t just become angry, even if you’ve shown how to do it several times already. Instead, it’s much better to ask how the child can be helped. Let’s admit it: we’ve all been in situations when we just weren’t paying enough attention. It can happen even to adults. Therefore, simply asking your child if he needs help in tying those shoelaces will make him appreciate your desire and feel helped.
“We’ll add it to the wishlist”
Perhaps each and every parent on the planet has been through that situation when he’s in a store, and the child desperately wants something. The kid wants a PlayStation game, for instance, and he wants it at that specific moment. Instead of saying phrases such as “we can’t afford that,” you can simply say that you will add it to the wishlist, planning to buy it at a later date. That could also upset the child a bit, it’s true, but it’s still much better than saying to the little one that you simply won’t buy that specific item.
“I’ll wait for you to calm down”
Picture this: your child cries and becomes hysterical because of a specific situation. If you calmly try to calm the kid down and it doesn’t work, you can simply tell him that you’re willing to wait for him to calm down. That gives the child the feeling that you care about his sorrow to some degree, and it’s a lot better than simply ignoring the child or yelling at him.
“We’re doing it in an hour”
Don’t add pressure and anxiety to your child by saying that you have to take him to the dentist “now.” Each and every child can be anxious when it comes to doctors in general. Instead, it’s much better to give your child some time by saying, “we’re going to the dentist/doctor in an hour. Prepare yourself.” That offers your child the possibility to prepare mentally a bit, even if that process happens “in the background.”
Offer a choice
Instead of trying to force your child to eat a specific food only because you think it’s healthy for him (and it definitely is), it’s much better to offer him a choice by asking something like, “do you want to eat vegetables or a soup?”. Trying to impose on your child what to eat can be stressful and cause anxiety for the little one.
Let’s face it: we’ve all been children, and we might have been just as annoying as our children are today. At that young age, we were unable to understand our responsibilities and how annoying we were to our parents. All we cared about was having fun and enjoying life. Therefore, don’t be too hard on your own children, as you were also one of them at some point.
