Offering choices to your children is helpful in so many ways. You can get out of and prevent power struggles by offering choices. Giving choices can make learning something new fun. And giving choices helps create cooperative kids. The reason for this is that when I child makes a choice, they feel powerful. It gives the child a sense of purpose and value in their world. So offering choices not only correct misbehavior, but it also builds your child's self-esteem. How great is that?
Here are five creative ways to offer choices to your children.
1. Offering concrete choices
"Do you want to wear the red pants or the blue pants?"
2. Choices with incentives
"Do you want to go to bed now and I'll read you 3 stories or go to bed in 5 minutes and I'll read you one story?"
3. Playful choices
"Do you want to walk to bed or run to bed?"
4. Immediate choices
"Do you want to go to bed now or now?"
5. Choices with consequences
"You may play with the truck on the floor or choose a soft toy to play with on the table. If you run the truck on the table again, I will take the truck away."
Remember, not everything is a choice. If the behavior needs firm guidance, offering choices is not necessary. Giving children choices is a tool to empower children in times of powerlessness. It also makes parenting fun and helps children learn to think about options.
In the Positive Parenting classes, we learn about offering choices and so much more. There will be a free live class on Zoom every weekday from 2-2:30pm EST. Please join us and learn Positive Parenting tools that work.
