3 helpful tips to get your child to listen and learn
Parenting is hard. Getting your child to easily listen to what you say is even harder. We had the chance to speak with the Program Director of Mobile Response and Stabilization Services, Mary Morda, MA, LPC, ACS, on how to go about handling these tough situations in the best way possible for both parties involved.
1. Be clear. Say what you mean and mean what you say. If you usually say something and do not follow through, your child will not take you seriously and that creates loss of trust which creates conflict.
2. Provide a consequence. There are consequences to all our choices in life and children need to learn this at a young age. If they do not follow through with what you are asking, provide a reasonable consequence and stay firm with that decision. If you are asking them to clean their room and they choose not to — provide a consequence of something they may be looking forward to like an event coming up. Taking away their cell phone for a long period of time is not reasonable because this will cause more conflict.
3. Listen to them too. We need to be there more than ever for our children during these difficult times. Take some time out each week and spend quality one on one time. It can look like however you want it to. Watch their favorite show with them, play their favorite video game, bake or cook their favorite meal with them, take a walk, listen to music — the list is endless. Just as much we want our children to listen to us, we need to listen to them too and their needs, especially emotional needs.
If you feel that you need further assistance, licensed clinicians in our Counseling & Wellness Centers are here to help.