In today’s episode Wendy & Terry are discussing power struggles and how to dissolve them when they occur between parents & their children. Power struggles are never fun to deal with, but just part of life when you’re raising kids! They happen when the parent tries to get their child to do something & the child refuses.
The classic “No I won’t & you can’t make me” is something every parent hears many times & is a classic example of a power struggle. Having the skills to dissolve power struggles instead of using fear, force, bribery & rewards allows home to be a place with more joy, peace & connection.
Episode Highlights:
- Become fluent in the language of choices with your kids
- Giving more choices & less compliance statements empowers the child into action
- Continue to give choices even when one doesn’t work – be patient with the process
- Increased empathy for your child leads to greater creativity in figuring out a win/win solution
- The practice of giving our children constant choices leads to creative solutions in other areas of life as well
- Have fun! Get creative & silly & do the unexpected
- Breaks the energy of the power struggle
- Changes the course of the “locked in combat” mode
- Start using win/win negotiation or peaceful conflict resolution in your home
- Everyone in the family feels respected
- Power is shared
- “I feel ___. I want ___. How will we work this out with respect so that we can both win?”
- When practiced with a parent at home, this eventually leads to children who can peacefully negotiate with their siblings & out in the world with their peers
Resources Mentioned:
- FSF Show Ep. 232 – Preventing Power Struggles
What if you could be an effective, firm & kind parent WITHOUT relying on fear, force, bribery & rewards?
Imagine learning a new way of firm (AND kind) parenting so you can end painful generational parenting cycles and create family legacies & memories YOU are proud of?
All while getting your kids to cooperate with your rules and boundaries with ease.
IMAGINE …
Parenting your kids with calm & confidence each day in a way that causes them to do what’s asked of them because they WANT to (not because they HAVE to) … because you’re helping to build essential life skills that have them behaving well & being respectful when you’re NOT looking!
