Parenthood is all about your skills to nurture your child in the best possible way. There is no specific guide to it. Different parents use various methods to teach and get their kids to listen to them. But we fail a lot many times when the kid is highly reluctant to hear. What do we do then?
Check Out: How To Get Kids To Listen?
How to Get Kids to Listen:
1. Know What Is The Problem – Do not let your kid become a mystery.
Try to know what really went wrong. You can always take time ins and sit with your kid to discuss. There might be just a simple reason behind the annoying behavior like hungry or sleepy. Pacify the child that the dinner is ready and they could eat or that they can take a quick nap and relax. The naughty or bad behavior or a kid usually has a reason to it.
2. One Thing At a Time – There is no Elevator to Success.
It is simply not okay to over-burden a kid with a lot of instructions. If you want them to wash their hands, keep the toys back in the box, grab a spoon from the table, get a plate from the kitchen, serve the food and sit to eat after placing the table mat! They might just want to shrug it off! We understand that you want your kid to learn to do their things independently, but take it slow and one by one. Once the first task is done, move to the next and so on.
3. Think Positive – He can, He will.
What better than a parent believing in their children. A parent needs to give more attention to the positive bits of the kid and trust that they can do it. When the kid falters the first time while you are trying to give some instructions, give a second chance. They will surely do better.
4. Be A Good Role Model – Teach only what you preach.
It is very vital that the kid learns a good habit from their parents. If they see you reading the book while lying down or in an awkward position, they learn it. There is no point shouting back at them to sit right and read! If they are doing something you do not like, just don’t lose the temper. Ask them politely to change and explain why and what is going wrong.
5. Do Not Bribe Your Kid – Teach the right thing even when no one is looking!
“If you put the toys back in the box, I will let you watch a cartoon in TV” No, do not do this. They learn that sometimes not doing the thing is easier and someone will bribe to clean it later. This is a wrong practice. This affects the child in the long run too as they learn these tactics and apply in their real life with friends and colleagues
6. Do Not Repeat Yourself – Try to Gather their Attention First Before talking.
Understand that there is no point yelling at the same point over and over again to the kid. Do you even know if the kid is listening or is up to something and you do not have their attention? Try to grab kids attention by looking into their eyes and telling them what you need and why. Ask for a response politely by saying “okay darling?” or “understood sweetie?”. You will clearly know if they got what you wanted to say – simple, isn’t it?
7. Reward Good Behavior – “Kid, You’ll Move Mountains!”
When the kid does something good by its own, appreciate it after done. For example, if the kid keeps all the toys back in the box, immediately once done, say “wow, you did a great job by keeping those back into the box. That is lovely!”. You know how will this help? The kid will feel happy about it and will be willing to do it in future too to get your love, attention, and praises.
8. Do Not Back Down – Do Not let it go if your Child Misbehaves for the Sake of an Easy Life
Just because you do not want to get into expectations or explanations, do not let your child go for the sake of it. If they make a fuss about brushing their teeth, do not let them go to bed with a mouthful of chocolate. They might repeat this every day. Rather, try to explain why it is important and give them some examples to understand. It is just a couple of day’s effort which might save 1000s of nights.
9. Do Not Threaten your Child – Do not be Shocked if they Threaten You Back!
As a parent more than anything, your actions reflect their behavior in the outside world too. Do not threaten your child, they learn it easily. Take a breather and calm down. Speak to your kid with composure about what went wrong instead of threatening.
10. Do Not Shout At Your Kid – It will only turn your kid deaf.
Your kid will get scared when you shout and eventually might get into depression. Do not use harsh words or style of talking to your kid. Teach the kid proper via proper conversation and if needed, use a firm way of speaking.
11. Use Simple, Easy Language – Don’t say too much, it blurs them!
Did you know that kids cannot interpret sarcasm? If you try to be smart to use sarcasm with your kid, the end result will be exactly what you didn’t expect – they will not understand! “Go tidy your room” doesn’t work with kids, explain them to put their toys away in a box and the clothes in the wardrobe.
12. Engage Cooperation – No one wants to listen to orders.
Give options to kids when they do not listen. This is a simple way of getting them to listen to you. You can always give orders but no one would want to do it, giving choice to the kid makes them grow independent and build up their self-esteem. It is a healthy way to make the children listen to you.
13. Be Yourself – Let him be little, he is your kid.
At the end of the day, the baby is yours and you do not want to hurt them! Try to forgive and give enough love to them. Do not compare your child to any others’. Your kid is unique and, love them for what they are. Also, do not compare even your kid in your head to your childhood days, that doesn’t work.
14. Do Not Lecture – And there, She Lost Interest!
Be specific on what you want from the kid. Do not say too much to them that they lose interest to do. “You are being horrid, how many times have I told you this? You have done it a multiple numbers of times to ignore it this time” — The kid would be like “What are you trying to say, mum?”. Try to speak in a way the kid doesn’t pull back from the task but, gets interested in doing it. Involve him with you in the tasks too.
15. Set Up Routines – Instead of Nagging, Indulge Kids in a Routine.
Getting kids to listen to you via nagging is the worst idea. Instead of nagging the kid by repeatedly asking them to do different things over the day, indulge them in routine. For example: Get up at 7 a.m., brush your teeth, take a shower, pray, have breakfast, sit to study, leisure time for playing etc. Brush before sleeping again.
