Do you find yourself constantly saying no to your toddler? !
No, don't touch that!!
No, don't do that!!
If you are saying no all the time - chances are your toddler will learn from you and the next thing you know your toddler is saying no to you all the time!
Below is a simple example of how you can change a no to a yes.
Cookie Before Dinner
You are in the middle of cooking dinner for your family and your child walks into the kitchen and says "Mom, can I have a cookie?". Your response is likely to be "No". This irritates your child and the conflict starts.
Child: "Why not?"
Mom: "Because dinner will be ready in a few minutes"
Child: "But Mommmm, I am really hungry right now"
And if you have been here, you know how this plays out.
Think about what you really mean. You do not want your child to have a cookie before dinner, because it will spoil his/her appetite. So, instead of saying no to you child , try responding with "Yes, you can have a cookie after dinner".
People in general do not like to be told "no" and children hear "no" too often. So, why not say what you mean - because as parent we don't always mean "no" when we say "no", we mean "no, not now" - so instead, why not we say "yes, you can have _________ when _________.(fill in the blanks)"
This little tip of changing the no to yes, followed by when the request can be met has worked wonders for me. I still use it today. I hope it works for you!!!
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