We very often associate the term “psychological trick” primarily with the world of adults. But did you know that you can also use them on your children? In many cases, psychological tricks can help you cope with situations that may have caused you bigger or smaller trouble.
We have chosen 7 of the best for you that will really help you in parenting.
The Fatherly portal brought up a very interesting psychological fact recently that you can use to your advantage. Did you know that a child under the age of six or seven can easily be convinced that you know what they are doing even if you aren’t looking? For example, when they aren’t behaving, pretend you don't see them and turn your back. They say to them that you can see them perfectly well even without looking at them, and that you know exactly what they are doing. This way, your child will try to behave even if you are not around.
If you have a child of any age, you know that almost certainly no child in the world is a fan of the word “no”. In addition, when they hear it, they may try to resist even more. How can we seek to avoid this? A very effective psychological trick was published by the Kinbox portal. Always try to say “Yes, but...” For example, if a child hasn’t cleaned their room and asks if they can go play Playstation, you might naturally be inclined to say: “No, because you haven’t cleaned your room”. Next time say: “Yes, but first clean your room” and see what a difference it makes.
This trick works a treat! Children do not like being given orders, but they love it when you give them the opportunity to choose from several options – they feel "mature" then. If you want to “sell” your child on an idea they wouldn’t naturally agree with, try this: “Do you want us to clean your room or the living room together on Saturday?” Or if your child doesn’t like vegetables, try “Do you want cauliflower or spinach for dinner?” Being able to choose will deprive him of the desire to resist.
The Brightside portal also came up with a very interesting tip, which recommends training yourself not to be afraid to whisper when communicating. For example, if you want to ask your child for something important, look them in the eye, or take their hand and whisper the most important thing you want to tell them. It is proven that whispering has a natural calming effect on children, and they will also listen to you more carefully.
Children just love fairy tales. But what they don’t like is responsibilities. How could we possibly combine these two findings? Surprisingly, it is simple – make an adventure out of the most boring activities. Let’s say your child doesn’t like brushing their teeth. Think deeply about which fairy tale they like most (for example from Readmio) and turn the process into an adventure. Tell them that brushing their teeth is a special mission thanks to which they can free the imprisoned princess from the evil dragon.
Let's stay for a while in this playful and creative mode. This time we will take as an example a day when you would like to clean your household together. If you know that your child doesn't like this activity, a great psychological trick is to turn the cleaning into a fun game. In order to start the challenge, you can say that the winner (the one who most perfectly cleans the assigned room) will be able to order pizza for lunch. Children love such challenges and their associated rewards.
It is very important to comprehend how children think – they are not capable of processing too much information at the same time. If you want your child to really take in everything from your conversation, don't give them too much information at once. It is better to scale it gradually and always try not to overwhelm your child’s mind.
