As kids grow up, they begin to be more capable of voicing their opinions and refusing their parents’ instructions. These can result in frustrating power struggles between the parent and the child.
While power struggles with your toddler are unavoidable, what you can control is how you respond to those disputes. One way to do this is by learning how to compromise with your little one or taking the time to sit down with him and coming up with a solution to whatever issue is being discussed.
5 tips to compromise with your child
1. Choose your battles.
First, know that while it’s okay to let your toddler get his way sometimes, not all matters are worth battling over with him. For instance, it’s fine to let your child decide on what he wants to wear, but when it comes to issues like his safety and talking respectfully to adults, be firm and stick to your rules.
2. Allow him to make his request.
Compromise is all about learning to listen to your peers about certain issues so you can come to a settlement that works for both parties. To compromise with your child, HuffPost says it is important for both of you to hear each other out, avoiding making hasty reactions or judgments and listening intently instead.
3. Let him feel heard.
Parents says that when a child feels heard, he calms down and can think more clearly. While your child is telling you about his requests, remember to have an open mind and avoid remarks like, “No, we can’t do that” or “That makes no sense,” even if you don’t agree with what he’s saying.
4. Think about his request carefully.
Though it can be tempting to hastily respond to your child’s requests — which can lead to more arguing and negotiating — it can be helpful to take some time to ponder over your response to him, no matter how minor the issue might be. But don’t take too long to reply; if you tell him you’ll give him an answer after a few minutes, respond to him after a few minutes to show that his request is important to you.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW5. Involve him in making decisions.
Empowering Parents says that there is nothing wrong with including your child in discussing certain requests or situations. Use this opportunity to talk to him about the pros and cons of those situations so that later on, you can come to a compromise that satisfies not only you but also your child.
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