Kids often have difficulty with the word “no.”
As a parent, how can we effectively say “no” to our kids without feeling like we are giving in and most importantly maintaining the relationship with them?
This week we will focus on “FAST” which is all about maintaining our own self-respect and still maintaining our goal of being able to say “no” to our child.
F stands for (Be) Fair. This means that you need to be fair to both yourself and your child when saying “no.” If you always give into your child’s demands, in the long run you will feel resentful or feel as if your child is taking advantage of you. This reminds you to tell yourself that it is okay to say “no” to your child!
A stands for (No) Apologies. This means that you don’t have to apologize for saying “no!” It is important to save apologies for when they are really warranted, such as when you make a mistake.
S stands for Stick to Values. This means stick to what you think is morally right to you in the situation. In our example, you may not believe that your child should be exposed to a violent video game at their age. The reason that you are saying “no” in this situation is that you are sticking to your values that children should not be exposed to violence at a young age.
T stands for (Be) Truthful. In this example, this would involve being truthful with your child about the reason that they are unable to have the video game at this time. Share with them that you are not comfortable with them having the video game because it is violent. This also models for your child the importance of telling the truth to maintain self-respect.
