Let’s face it, kids will be kids and they can’t possibly always be happy with every single decision that is made for them. Let’s be realistic – children, like adults, weren’t born yesterday, and realize early on that they have feelings they have to express! And because of this, a child can tend to think independently, do things the way they insist them to be done, or refuse to listen to what you say.
Here’s a scenario: your child is sitting happily playing with building bricks, or maybe playing on a games console, totally engulfed in his or her own world, and it’s time for dinner. I called him over for dinner after asking him to put the game on hold and leave his comfort zone for some quality dinner time with the family. My son started stomping his feet and questioning why I was such a spoil-sport when I simply wanted him to have something to eat while spending time with the family.
You, on the other hand may think the child is being naughty or obstinate. You pull the plug on the console or take the toys away and it’s Mount Vesuvius in the living room! Your special little boy of a Dr. Jekyll has become Mr. Hyde and is throwing a tantrum!
The next time it happened, I was wiser – he was at it again, playing his favorite video games and totally “in the zone”, so to say. What I did this time was to give my boy a few minutes, about ten, I believe, to finish his video game so he could help the rest of the family in preparing for dinner.
So as you can see, you are giving your child enough time to get ready for dinner, and involving him or her in the preparation. Younger children can simply wipe the table, or you could ask the older ones to boil potatoes for the stew or carve the roast beef and serve it to everyone. This will help them prepare for life as adults where they themselves would have to do the majority of the dirty work.
Amazing! Now isn’t that more like it, if you had followed the second example? You are making your child fill an important role while you remain stress-free and in the best of moods! Kudos!
You can do this sort of thing with just about any scenario. Every child has what they call their ‘happy place’ and a certain ‘upset place’ where they’d rather be somewhere else – why not make that ‘upset place’ look happy instead? You just have to make sure that your child knows beforehand that something other than what they are doing at the moment will soon be happening.
And once they have helped you out, let them know that he or she did a great job in lending a helping hand. This is the surest way to avoid the stress and chaos that come when your child throws yet another tantrum.
Author bio: Writer Melanie Hewitt is a dog enthusiast. If you’re looking for the pick of the litter, check these English bulldog puppies for sale. These litters of English bulldogs for sale are wrinkly with a massive nose rope and overdone. One of these classic dogs is perfect for your family.
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