Parenting Technique 32 – React with humor when appropriate to the situation.

When you look openly at why your child has acted in a certain way, you may find an understandable reason. You also might find that reason to be quite humorous.

Follow this example. A mother told her preschool child to wait outside after school because she would be picking her up late. When she got to school, she looked outside her child’s classroom, and her daughter was nowhere to be found. She looked all over the school and finally found her daughter playing on the playground.

“Where have you been?” she exclaimed. “I’ve been looking all over for you. I told you to wait outside.”

“I was outside,” the child said. “I was outside on the playground.” Immediately the mother smiled. Her daughter was exactly right. She did exactly what her mother had told her to do– wait outside.

“The next time I mean wait outside the classroom,” the mother said, “I will say, “Wait outside the classroom.”

Constructive Parenting…

Without careful examination, it is easy to take the typical parent is right, child is wrong position. However, upon closer reflection, you just might discover a child was right, parent was wrong reality. It is definitely worth the extra thinking.

Once you understand this concept, you can use it often. Take every opportunity you can to ask yourself what motive might have been behind your child’s behavior. If, however, you still need further clarification, then go ahead and ask for it.