Do you know about those days when the kids wake up with fully charged batteries and seem to just screw up everything they touch and we just scream around:
-Don’t do that!
-Don’t go there!
-Do not climb to that chair!
-Don’t throw away all the toys!
-No, no, no …
Do you know what I mean? Yeah… We all go through this! Sometimes it seems like they just want to tease us, don’t they?
How to avoid? Is it even possible?
Yes, it is! We can avoid it!
Notice the following: Did we tell them what they could do, at some point? Do we guide them to safe play? Or did we make any constructive suggestions that they could use? No, we just barred activities without giving them any alternatives…
In another and completely different context, I have learned to use positive discourse as a form of communication that does not raise psychological barriers to commercial speech.
The truth is that it works miracles with children.
Try to start replacing the “no” with “what”. For example:
“Do not do this!” Replace with: “-What you can do is …”
It sounds simple, doesn’t it?
Well, the truth is that applying it to 100% requires daily training and is easier if we apply it generically and not just in particular situations (such as just to deal with children only). In fact, I assure you that you will notice how everyone begins to react to you in a different way, being less negative and more cooperative.
Go on, try it!
P.S. Scream also doesn’t help… Use a calm and assertive tone.