I've been inspired recently by the amazing parents who've come to my lectures and classes and wanted to take a chance to brag on a few of them. We all have the power to change how we interact with our children and these parents took amazing steps using new found parenting powers. Hats off to them!
Parent #1 - Turkey Sandwich Trick
I was so inspired to use these new approaches on my kids that I could not wait. I picked my 4 year old up from daycare and it was time for lunch so I gave him his lunch box. He opened it and started throwing a fit in his car seat. I looked at him in my mirror but did not say a word yet .. he continued to say "I told you no turkey. I don’t like it!!!" Instead of my normal response which would have been something like "You do like turkey! Eat your dang lunch!", I used a calm voice "I’m sorry." He was so surprised! He had a confused look on his face and he said it again, "I Don’t like turkey!" I said. "I’m sorry." He stopped and said, "Okay, but I do like my cheese."
Parent #2 - Teeth Brushing and Walking Fun
I applied what you taught the other night and the results are phenomenal. Last night we had fun brushing teeth and got to bed quickly without me nagging. And this morning we got out of the house 30 minutes earlier than usual. She walked backward to the car and jumped off once we got to school. I’m so amazed that all those techniques work instantly.
Parent #3 - Birthday Cake Blues
My birthday was on Monday night. We all celebrated with birthday cake. Yum. After, my kids wanted a second piece, of course. Since it was too close to bedtime, the answer was no. They continued to ask. It was so wonderful to not get annoyed or firm with them but just continue to repeat, "What did I say?" or "I know....what did I say?" They finally gave up...
Parent #4 - Oatmeal Lover ... NOT!
When we put our girls to bed last week they kept coming downstairs, complaining etc. I said that that's ok but Mummy serves cereals only to the girls that go to bed on time and without complaining. They had oatmeal for breakfast which was annoying for our older daughter. She complained and wouldn't eat it. I showed some empathy saying something like it's sad, I know you don't like oatmeal. Maybe tonight you will go to bed without any arguments and then you can have cereals for breakfast. In then end that morning she ate the oatmeal and on our way back home from school she said, "Sorry, mummy for last night." She went to bed without a hitch the next night. Yeah! No oatmeal for her.
Parent #5 - Computer Caper
My boys were both playing a game together. It had been so frustrating battling every day as to when they get off their game and come to dinner. After class, I asked the boys how much time they needed before dinner to get off their game. They said 15 minutes. I took it and set a timer. DING! It went off in a flash. "Boys, time to get off." "But mom... we're not done! We gotta level up or we'll lose everything." "I know... this is so sad..." They stopped about 10 minutes later. The next day when they wanted to play after their homework. "Ohhhhh.... this is so sad... I let boys play games who get off when they agreed to get off. Not today. Maybe we can try again tomorrow." A bit of whining ensued but I kept to bland statements and some what did I say. The next day, DING, they got off right away. We added a 10 minute timer to the mix to help them get off in 15. So fun!
The changes we make to our routines can be subtle but our kids will feel it. Initially they might be resistant and ungrateful but, believe me, the power you gain in your parenting from experimenting like these parents have will get you through your parenting without losing your mind.
Parent #1 - Turkey Sandwich Trick
I was so inspired to use these new approaches on my kids that I could not wait. I picked my 4 year old up from daycare and it was time for lunch so I gave him his lunch box. He opened it and started throwing a fit in his car seat. I looked at him in my mirror but did not say a word yet .. he continued to say "I told you no turkey. I don’t like it!!!" Instead of my normal response which would have been something like "You do like turkey! Eat your dang lunch!", I used a calm voice "I’m sorry." He was so surprised! He had a confused look on his face and he said it again, "I Don’t like turkey!" I said. "I’m sorry." He stopped and said, "Okay, but I do like my cheese."
Parent #2 - Teeth Brushing and Walking Fun
I applied what you taught the other night and the results are phenomenal. Last night we had fun brushing teeth and got to bed quickly without me nagging. And this morning we got out of the house 30 minutes earlier than usual. She walked backward to the car and jumped off once we got to school. I’m so amazed that all those techniques work instantly.
Parent #3 - Birthday Cake Blues
My birthday was on Monday night. We all celebrated with birthday cake. Yum. After, my kids wanted a second piece, of course. Since it was too close to bedtime, the answer was no. They continued to ask. It was so wonderful to not get annoyed or firm with them but just continue to repeat, "What did I say?" or "I know....what did I say?" They finally gave up...
Parent #4 - Oatmeal Lover ... NOT!
When we put our girls to bed last week they kept coming downstairs, complaining etc. I said that that's ok but Mummy serves cereals only to the girls that go to bed on time and without complaining. They had oatmeal for breakfast which was annoying for our older daughter. She complained and wouldn't eat it. I showed some empathy saying something like it's sad, I know you don't like oatmeal. Maybe tonight you will go to bed without any arguments and then you can have cereals for breakfast. In then end that morning she ate the oatmeal and on our way back home from school she said, "Sorry, mummy for last night." She went to bed without a hitch the next night. Yeah! No oatmeal for her.
Parent #5 - Computer Caper
My boys were both playing a game together. It had been so frustrating battling every day as to when they get off their game and come to dinner. After class, I asked the boys how much time they needed before dinner to get off their game. They said 15 minutes. I took it and set a timer. DING! It went off in a flash. "Boys, time to get off." "But mom... we're not done! We gotta level up or we'll lose everything." "I know... this is so sad..." They stopped about 10 minutes later. The next day when they wanted to play after their homework. "Ohhhhh.... this is so sad... I let boys play games who get off when they agreed to get off. Not today. Maybe we can try again tomorrow." A bit of whining ensued but I kept to bland statements and some what did I say. The next day, DING, they got off right away. We added a 10 minute timer to the mix to help them get off in 15. So fun!
The changes we make to our routines can be subtle but our kids will feel it. Initially they might be resistant and ungrateful but, believe me, the power you gain in your parenting from experimenting like these parents have will get you through your parenting without losing your mind.