Imagine waking up dreading your day with your child. You love her, but you’re tired of the battles, and the day has only begun. Not only does she fight you on getting out of bed, but she continues the battles with almost everything else: her “scratchy” clothes, the “wrong” cup at breakfast, not wanting to head to the bus stop on time. You wonder if other moms’ children push the limits as much as yours. You also wonder when you’re ever going to like your child as much as you love her. Of course, wondering this brings up mom guilt, as it’s not fun to think about not liking your child. After all…what pregnant mom daydreams about the day when she and her soon-to-be born child will be locked into power struggles over what cup to use at breakfast?
Have you ever wondered if your child is strong willed or spirited? A lot of people use the term “strong willed” synonymously with “won’t do what I say.” While having a child refuse to do what you say is frustrating (okay, maddening, too), it’s also a normal part of childhood development. Kids learn by pushing the limits and seeing if they still hold (or not). That said, some kids do this more often and with more intensity. They also may be more persistent (in the most frustrating ways possible!), more sensitive, more energetic and just MORE. If you have a child like this, than you most likely resonate with the word “more”!
Having a child that chronically pushes the limits with great intensity is one of the most stressful parts of parenting (and one of the most tiring). For many moms, it pushes them right into “Guilt Land” (and boy, do I have a passport to that country!). I can say that I am not responsible for my child’s behavior, as long as I am doing my best to teach her right from wrong, but when some finger-wagging stranger intones, “Why can’t you control your child!” all that intellectualizing goes out the window.
If you’ve ever wondered how to know whether your child is strong willed or not, or if you already know he is but don’t know how to parent him effectively, I’ve created something that can help. I know from first hand experience, both personally and professionally, that children who are strong willed don’t respond well to traditional parenting techniques; in fact, such techniques (such as time out) often backfire. I’m pretty sure that your child’s behavior isn’t as serious as those inner city kids I taught who were labeled “Seriously Behaviorally Disordered.” I mean, your child likely isn’t setting fires, hurting animals, etc. But if your child is constantly arguing, negotiating, complaining, dawdling, refusing to do what you say, and generally requires a lot more of your energy than you currently feel you have, you may want to check the new product I created. It’s an audio, a transcript of the audio (in case you’re visual like I am), and a resource-packed Action Guide to help you start parent easier right away.
You can check it out here at www.parentyourstrongwilledchild.com.
