Do you liked to be bossed around? Probably not! How does the thought of being given orders make you feel? Irritated? Angry? Rebellious? If you’re like most, you react negatively to someone trying to boss or control you.
Your children are no different. They also do not like when you try to control their behavior. You can test this out by watching their reaction to your commands. What happens when you tell them to hurry up? Does this cause them to go faster? How about when you tell your kids to stop fighting or quit whining?
Sometimes your kids may follow your commands. Other times they may ignore them or verbally agree but not follow through. Giving commands sets up power struggles with your kids. You can replace commands with more effective approaches like telling them what you are going to do or asking curiosity questions.
Considering the Characteristics of Your Favorite Boss
Your role as a parent is like being a boss or leader for your family. If you shy away from this role and try instead to be your children’s friend, that leaves your family without the strong leadership it really needs. When the kids are primarily in control, families are dysfunctional.