Tips for getting your child to obey the first time you ask. There are many important steps. Learn what these are and how to do it.
By Maureen Monfore, http://www.ChildwiseChat.com
If you follow Valerie’s blog, you are likely no stranger to the idea that establishing authority and requiring respect from our children must form the basis of our parenting. When they are little, we lead by our authority. It’s when they’re older that we can lead by our influence and establish a friendship with our children.
But establishing an air of authority and respect can be difficult. We want to hold a position of power over our children, but at the same time, we don’t want to frustrate or alienate our children.
It’s for this reason that it is so important to balance the good with the bad when training our children in first-time obedience (FTO). I have discussed first-time obedience training here and on my own blog at length. But here’s a quick refresher:
- You call the child’s name
- The child replies with a “yes, mommy” or other similar response
- The child looks in your eye from across the room or comes to you when he’s in another room
- The child responds to the call of his name with an attitude of submission and willingness to comply with any instruction you give
There is much more to FTO training than meets the eye, but you get the idea. (For more, visit my blog or check out my e-book.)
When we balance the good with the bad, the goal is to keep our kids on their toes and to establish a habit of first-time obedience.
So it’s essential that we watch our tone when calling the child’s name. Keep it positive. Don’t say their name with a berating or threatening tone. If he hears that you are unhappy with him, he won’t want to respond.
By the same token, call his name when you have positive things to offer. Don’t get into the habit where every time you call his name, he knows you’ll be asking him to do something he won’t want to do. He will stop responding.
Rather than just calling him when you have a task for him to complete or when you need him to stop a particular behavior, call him and get your “yes, mommy” and eye contact when offering a cookie, suggesting a trip to the park, or even just asking for a hug.
When you balance the good with the bad, he will be much more likely to comply.
Maureen Monfore is a mother of two young boys, a freelance writer, and the author of ChildwiseChat.com and the eBook, Live in Harmony with First-Time Obedience. A loyal follower of the teachings of Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo, she is passionate about teaching children to obey to pave the way for fun, love, learning, and essential moral development.
