Today was a challenging day at my house. One of my daughters was being particularly challenging. Everything was SO MUCH WORK.
At the end of her last "challenge" she raised her eyebrows at me and also her hands, "Mom, would you stop broken recording me!"
Do you use this strategy? Despite her frequent raised eyebrows everything I asked/requested /demanded was completed. Here's how it goes:
The mom: "Perrien child, turn off the TV and take care of your laundry."
Perrien child: "Oh my gosh, Mom, my life is so hard. Can't I just sit for five minutes?"
The mom: "Perrien child, turn off the TV and take care of your laundry."
Perrien child: "Ugh. This is so unfair!"
The mom: "Perrien child, turn off the TV and take care of your laundry."
She rises from her chair, heads to her room (Of course, defiantly swinging her hair..) and takes care of her laundry. We had three more conversations such as these one. In each, I did not engage with her, rather I stated the task and used the broken record method when she attempted to argue.
Each time she was, in fact, attempting to argue with me hoping that I will give up and simply do the work myself. However, I know better. We don't argue because if we argued I would lose. I would get angry and I would probably do it myself.
I know this. She knows the strategy because she is, after all, the daughter of a teacher. Now, you're probably thinking right now, "Perrien lets her kids watch television?" Yes, on the weekends the girls are allowed to watch television!
If you're interested in learning more about this strategy you can read more about it at the Love and Logic website. http://www.loveandlogic.com. Classes for parents are even occasionally offered in the Holland area. Either way, I have picked up some fabulous parent/child management tips from the Love and Logic books.
Have a fabulous weekend!
--Mrs. Perrien
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