It’s crazy how many times a child is told no in a given day.  Episode 66 shares ideas on how to say “No” in a way that your child will respond better to.  It’s important to tell your child what to do instead of what not to do.  This episode is inspired by the article: http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/discipline/tips/discipline-without-saying-no/ written by Mike Mitchell.

Here are some examples:

– Instead of saying “no running”, say “walk”.

– “I know you like ice cream, but eating too much is not good.” – avoid the promise of tomorrow. Saying “maybe tomorrow” is bad.

– “I know you really want the candy, but we are not having it. Don’t say “right now”

– “Food is for eating, not for playing.”

– “Books are for reading, not for ripping.”

“Plants and flowers need to grow. We need to be really careful with them.”

“We use our words, not our hands – to keep kids from hitting when they are acting out”

“Tell me in your regular voice. – avoid stop whining or “we don’t whine”

Be silly – make them laugh

“Can daddy have that? you can have this.” Whether it’s your phone or keys, replace what you are taking with something they can hold.

“Chairs are for sitting, not for standing.”

Danger” or “Stop” when the child is in potential harms way. You raise your voice a bit. Like if they were to touch a stove.

As you can see there are a lot of ways to say no without saying it.  Next time you want to say “no” to your child, think of a more positive way to express the “no”.…