Everyone knows, having children sometimes a thankless challenge. Our little monsters love nothing better than getting us to repeat ourselves twelve times over, without taking any notice of us. They are cute enough to get away with it and they know it! If you’re sick and tired of shouting endlessly after them to no avail, here are ten tips to make yourself heard, all the while staying calm and serene.
1/ Be brief. You always have to be clear and firm with a child. Don’t shout, don’t get annoyed, and don’t use long sentences. Tell him clearly what you want him to do. For example, “tidy your room, or else no toys this evening”.
2/ Be coherent. If you have already said no several times and your child is still asking the question, respond calmly “You have already asked me and you know the answer”. If you don’t want your children to shout, it is important that you don’t shout yourself. You must be the one to set an example.
3/ Be consistent. If your child disobeys, don’t be tempted to “let it go just this once”. You have to follow up on the punishment. If you crack once, you will lose your authority. Your child needs to know who is in charge.
4/ Be calm. If your child is shouting and crying and you can’t understand what they are saying, ask them gently to repeat what they are saying calmly. Once they have done so, thank them and respond to what they have said.
5/ Be precise. If you are angry because of something your child has done, explain to them what made you angry. Your child should know that it is not him or her that made you angry, but their behaviour. In this way, the child will know what is likely to upset you, and avoid doing the same thing again.
