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By Meredith Ethington

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Four Simple Tricks When Your Kids Won’t Listen

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If you’re wondering how to get your kids to listen better in 5 minutes or less I’ve got some ideas for you. There is nothing more frustrating than when your kids won’t listen. 

Parenting is an exercise in patience in the midst of chaos, and there is little more trying than parenting when your kids won’t listen. It makes daily life more of a challenge than it should be, and it can prevent you from doing the most routine things like going to the grocery store or enjoying dinner out with the family.

Save your own sanity and teach your children a better way to behave with these four simple tricks, or parenting strategies, when your kids won’t listen.

Lower Your Voice

At one point or another nearly every parent has raised their voice and yelled, and that’s okay. We’re imperfect parents, and we’re just trying to do our best. As a regular tactic, though, yelling isn’t constructive. It leaves parents feeling guilty and children confused or even scared. A more effective technique is to do the exact opposite.

Get down on their level and make eye contact

When your children are misbehaving, get their attention either verbally or by physically getting down on their level and speak in a lowered voice. The idea is not to be as intimidating as it is to force your children to focus on what you’re saying rather than how they are behaving.

Be Consistent in Your Discipline Methods

Consistency is one of the most effective ways to get your kids to listen quickly. A child who knows what happens every time they push the limits will much more quickly stop pushing those limits when they see that consequences are in their near future.

A good rule of thumb is to follow this formula:

  1. Reminder— remind your child what they should be doing.
  2. Warning— warn your child that if they do not do the correct behavior, there will be consequences.
  3. Discipline— your child receives an appropriate consequence.

Remember that the meaning of discipline is not to punish. Rather, it is to teach. Increase the effectiveness of your discipline method by focusing on providing your child with developmentally appropriate consequences that directly relate to their behavior.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link, I may receive a commission. See my full disclosure policy here.

Use Positive Language

Positive language helps redirect your child’s focus to what they should be doing rather than what they can’t do. Not only does it have positive benefits for your child long-term, but it is extremely effective at redirecting your child’s negative behavior.

Children exposed to positive language have a clearer understanding of what is expected of them and more quickly follow instructions. Try saying things like, “Use your inside voice, please,” instead of, “Stop yelling!”

Look, it’s not a perfect science. My kids still don’t listen most of the time. Because, well – they’re kids. But, these little parenting tricks and strategies are really the only ones that DO help my kids and will hopefully help you when your own kids won’t listen. 

There is nothing more frustrating as a parent than when your kid won't listen. These parenting strategies are so easy to start today, and will help with your child's listening skills. These easy positive parenting solutions really are simple but so smart! #positiveparenting #noyelling #perfectionpending

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MY FAVORITE RESOURCES FOR ALL PARENTS:

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CAN YOU RELATE TO THIS POST? BE SURE TO GET MY BOOK, MOM LIFE: PERFECTION PENDING. IT’S A HUMOROUS LOOK AT PARENTING TODAY THAT’LL HAVE YOU NODDING YOUR HEAD, LAUGHING, AND REALIZING THAT YOU AREN’T ALONE.

 


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Welcome! I’m Meredith.

Mom. Writer. Diet Coke connoisseur. Born and raised Texan. Lover of real talk and laughter with a hint of sarcasm mixed in.

The Mother Load

Perfection Pending on Instagram

perfectpending

Mom • Author • Mental Health Therapist In Training
Grab my new book, The Mother Load, available now. 👇👇

Meredith Ethington
Still not there yet. 😑 #ikea #momlifebelike #ik Still not there yet. 😑 #ikea #momlifebelike #ikeahack #jokesfordays
This was my mom’s desk when she was little. At s This was my mom’s desk when she was little. At some point it got passed down to one of her grandchildren. Then it made its way to my house and all three of my kids have used it too. 
My middle decided he was done with it and I had no idea what to do with it. It’s almost an antique at this point and I knew my mom felt sentimental about it. It’s heavy and tiny but it has good bones as they say. 
My mom lives too far away to come get it and the grandkids are all getting too big to want this desk in their rooms. 
I walked around my little house looking for a spot for it. There really isn’t one. 
Could it be an end table? Or swapped out for an entry table? 
But then I walked into my bedroom and saw this bare wall. It’s not ideal. My husband will hate it. But I’ve been thinking that I needed a study spot in my house (in a room with a door that shuts and locks) since I’m in school again at 46 years old. 
I’m hilariously too big for this little desk but also it seems just fine for sitting and writing papers. 
The older I get, the more I realize that this life is short and I’m sure it will make my mom happy to know I’m not only hanging onto this desk a little while longer but it’s going to be used for actual school work again instead of hoarding useless scraps of paper, half filled notebooks and dull crayons no one has touched in years. 
I’m breathing life back into this desk for a few more years and it seems symbolic of my taking something old (me) and using it for something new (becoming a therapist). 
I’m not super sentimental about furniture but I’m sentimental about the people that I love. 
She loves this desk so I guess I’ll love it a little longer on her behalf. ❤️
🚨Vulnerable post alert! My latest on substack: 🚨Vulnerable post alert! My latest on substack: "I feel depressed that it’s back, when I had been handling things so well.
I feel hopeless that although I know it will end, that it will come back again.
I feel embarrassed that I’m sometimes mean to the ones I love most.
I feel like I want to give up.
I feel tired.
I feel overwhelmed by the tiniest thing.
I feel alone. I feel like I’m literally the only one feeling that way in that moment even though I know I’m not deep down. But, anxiety makes me feel like that.
I feel like I just would be better off if I could disappear."
First day back after a week long vacay to the fun First day back after a week long vacay to the fun of carpool and the reality of being a responsible adult is kicking my boot-ay. Can you tell? 😅
Yup. 😂 @themumcrew Yup. 😂 @themumcrew
Best thrift find ever. 😂 Best thrift find ever. 😂
Mental health matters. ❤️ Mental health matters. ❤️
You get the full tour if you’re my friend. You get the full tour if you’re my friend.
Because apparently it belongs to no one. 😑 Because apparently it belongs to no one. 😑
Just like building muscles in our body, to have go Just like building muscles in our body, to have good mental health we need to build muscles in our brains as well. What does that look like? 

For me, it often looks like practicing things that make me uncomfortable. 
Saying no. Setting boundaries. Sitting in discomfort with feelings I don't like. Being OK if someone is mad at me. Learning to validate MYSELF. You get the idea. 
But, really it can be anything that you need to work on but makes you feel REALLY uncomfortable. So much so that it feels like your brain is literally rejecting it. If you want to build that muscle in your brain that is OK with disappointing people in favor of your own mental health, you have to treat it like muscle building in your body. 

1. Do it often enough. 
2. Start small, and work your way up. 
3. Go heavy when you're ready. 

Practicing it often enough is really when you're going to get big results. Soon you'll get used to those negative feelings that come along with telling someone no and knowing they're disappointed. You'll build up endurance to tolerate the feelings and be able to sit with them and let them go. And finally, it will become second nature to you to do all those things you didn't think you could do. Just like strength training for a marathon - consider strength training for your mind. 

One thing I'm working on is telling myself I'm OK. I struggle with seeking validation from others when really I need to be seeking validation from myself. Because MYSELF is good, worthy, and OK 99% of the time. 

What are you practicing right now? I'd love to hear if this is true for you.
Love this so much. @nellie_scales Love this so much. @nellie_scales
If you’ve loved anything I’ve written, conside If you’ve loved anything I’ve written, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber on Substack where you won’t miss any of my posts. Here’s the latest - link in profile. 

#mentalhealth #anxiety #depression #mentalhealthawareness #stopthestigmamentalillness
For the moms fighting all the battles no one sees. For the moms fighting all the battles no one sees. My latest on substack. ❤️ Link in profile
Truth right here. Truth right here.
Same girl, same. Same girl, same.
Yep. 😂 @sixfootcandy Yep. 😂 @sixfootcandy
Sounds about right. @theimpatientsloth Sounds about right. @theimpatientsloth
My newest post. I hope you’ll read it. Link to S My newest post. I hope you’ll read it. Link to Substack in profile.
😂😂 @fiftyfirsttates 😂😂 @fiftyfirsttates
So true. And the ones that live close you do the s So true. And the ones that live close you do the same thing because schedules never line up! Tag your besties. @tragicallyhere
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