After buying many parenting products, we've found a common theme.
The ones we tried were trying to fix or control ‘the problem’ by getting children to behave. Whilst this is sometimes necessary and most definitely something we believe needs to be addressed, we have learnt through experience that the majority of problems at home, start because a situation has been dealt with in such a way, that it encourages, or supports the very behavior you want to change.
A simple example, and one we know happens a lot, is telling your child to ‘stop eating with their mouth open’. We nag and nag and repeat the request, sometimes several times a day. Yet, unless your child is very fearful of you, they will continue to eat with their mouth open. Why? Because unintentionally that’s the command you’re giving them. If however you say ‘Jonny, eat with your mouth closed” you’re much more likely to see success. Firstly, you gave a command without any pleases, which we massively over use and secondly, you gave the right command i.e to eat with their mouth closed and not open!
We developed this simple technique of ‘owning our language’, along with lots of other new and exciting discoveries about human behavior that not only make parenting easier but way more enjoyable.
If you haven’t already done so, why not see what some other parents had to say about us.