How to Get Your Kids to Follow Directions
No magic wand, just a few tips and tricks.
Happy December, Practice families!
Let's face it-- no matter how much we love our kids, it might have been a bit of a relief to send them off to school today after a rainy holiday long weekend. I'm sipping my coffee, taking a few deep breaths, and savoring the peace and quiet that feels so much more evident (and valuable!) after five days wrangling a stir-crazy preschooler mostly indoors!
If your Thanksgiving family time left you at the end of your rope-- or you're already feeling the impending chaos of the push through to the holiday break-- make a point of doing something to reset today-- even if it's just taking a few intentional, deep breaths. Other ideas:
Our short, awareness of breath audio meditation (under 3 minutes!)
This 30-day meditation challenge, set up by a local mom (open to any parent, anywhere, with prizes from us!)
Take a rainy day mindful minute with this 90-second video... or do it using the actual rain outside!
Also, if you found yourself irritable, frazzled, or yelling over the long weekend: seize the moment and sign up for our online parenting program, How to Not Lose Your Sh*t With Your Kids-- 30 days of research-based strategies to help you be your best cool, calm, collected self with your kids. Through end of day today (Monday), this program is only $15 (usual price $30) with code KEEPCALM2019. Don't wait, this is the biggest discount we've ever offered... and it expires at midnight tonight. Register today and choose any Monday to start your 30 days.
Finally, if part of what pushed your buttons over the holiday weekend was repeating yourself eight million times when you asked your kids to do things... good news! Following directions can be tough for any kid (and frustrating for every parent!), but tiny tweaks in the way in which we as parents issue instructions can make a huge difference in kids' compliance. Download our best practices for giving effective instructions here...andthen take a moment to think: what are one or two things that you can shift in the way you give instructions this week in order to make your kids' compliance more likely?
