Listening! One Of The Most Vital Behaviors In A Parent/Child Relationship.

Why are parents having such a hard time being successful at it?

This listening issue is constantly surfacing. Our experiences and observations at the daycare are:

1. Parents rarely follow up on a request or directive they give to their child.

2. Parents have not clearly communicated their expectations.

3. Parents have no agreed with each other on the rule, boundaries and behavioral expectations.

What to do?

1. Both parents must agree on what the rules and behavioral expectations are!

2. Do not give your child any negotiating power when you have communicated their responsibility to follow your communication on a rule or behavioral expectation.

3. Repeat the request in fifteen seconds increments exactly as originally states and firmly state “you have to listen to me”

4. If they are still not responding then assist them in following through and clarify that when you make a request you mean it.

When you are communicating regarding an action or opinion that is not a rule or behavioral expectation, then you can compromise and let them be involved in the process.

This is very different from the first scenario and should not be confused!

You have to understand and respect that your child will know the difference.

They can choose between the red shirt or the blue one for example.

But they cannot choose not to listen to you when you have requested a follow-up or action that you consider a rule. An example is “please clean up your toys now”.

Be clear, be firm and be confident!

You are the parent and your child is not in charge of the values they need to grow up with, you are!

Good luck!