When I ask parents of young children if they ever say “No” to their children, I always receive an affirmative answer. “Of course.”
After all, isn’t it natural to teach young children that they can’t have evrything they want?
Yes, young people need to learn that they cannot get every thing they want. The question is, however, how do you communicate this while at the same time not not having the child develop negative feelings toward the parent or the situation.
The answer lies in adding a simple word to “NO!.”
Simply say, “Not yet.”
This simple phrase doesn’t prompt the negative feeling that “No” does while, at the same time, giving future hope.
This and many other simple tips are available at Parenting Without Stress: How to Raise Responsible Kids While Keeping a Life of Your Own.
