Parenting Tidbit #1: {Give Your Child Choices}
When communicating with your child, commanding something of them (ie: "Put on your pajamas!") makes a child feel out of control, which causes them to respond by resisting and acting out. Instead, when you give your child choices (ie: "Would you like to wear the pink pajamas or the yellow pajamas?"), they feel empowered and included, resulting in less arguments and tantrums.
Case Study Example:
Me: Ok, Little Chica. We're out of diapers! (sidenote: this may or may not have been a lie, but we're kind of desperate to get Little Chica to start using the potty). So, you can choose between this Pull-Up Diaper or these lovely Hello Kitty Panties!
Little Chica: I want a diaper.
Me: (cheery and enthusiastically) Oops! We're all out! Your only options are the Pull-Up or Panties. Which one would you like to wear?
Little Chica: Diaper.
Me: Oh sorry! No can do! Want to try the Pull-Up? Maybe the panties?
Little Chica: Do I get a lollipop?
Me: Well, no. Lollipops are reserved for when you put pee-pee's in the potty. Do you want to pee-pee in the potty?
Little Chica: Nope.
Me: No problem! So your choice: panties or Pull-Ups?
Little Chica: Neither.
::silence::
What child opts for NEITHER?
Well played, Little Chica. Well played.
Maddalena opts for neither on a pretty regular basis. She walked around for 5 1/2 hours yesterday buck naked, but refused to pee on the potty. Little stinker held it the entire time. She finally took a nap and I put a diaper on her. It was like a swimmy diaper when she woke up.
ReplyDeleteMommy=0 Maddalena=1