How to Make Your Children Behave

Children are wonderful. They'll give you hugs and kisses, pick flowers from your garden, even bring bugs into the house or ask for a snake for a pet. There are ways to get your children to listen to you, to behave, and even enjoy chores. Read on to learn how to make your children behave.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Avoid telling them no.
   
   If you tell your children no every time they do something wrong, they will tune out the word no. It loses its meaning. Instead use no only when necessary.

2. Instead, give them two smaller options.
   
   For example, say your child wants to yell in the house. You're on the phone so you want to tell them no, stop. Instead, say yell outside or yell in their bedroom.
   
   This gives them choices, and in their minds, power. They will be much more willing to listen because they don't view this as something taken away from them. It isn't seen as guidance.

3. Praise and reward your child as they learn something new.
   
   Make chores a game. Teach your child a chore in pieces, little by little each day, and praise them, making it an enjoyable, happy experience.
   
   For example, have your child help you unload the dishes. The first night, you can show them where to put away the cups. The next night, the plates. Then the bowls, until your child can handle the chore all by himself. This helps to teach your child a skill, rather than a chore, and they view it more as a sign of growing up and being more mature, something all kids want to be seen as.

4. Teach your children not to whine.
   
   Have the family sit in a circle. One person holds a ball. The person to their right asks for it. If the person holding it thinks that the asker asked in a pleasant, polite manner, the ball gets passed. Otherwise, the asker has to ask again.
   
   This shows and teaches the children not only the difference between being polite and whining, but it also shows that by asking nicely, you are more willing to get what you want so they'll continue this behavior.

[writedesign]

on 7/30/2009 I'm going to try these techniques with my 2 year old. She likes to yell at the top of her lungs when I'm on the phone or watching the news. Great advice.