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Brilliant Parenting Tip #1

By on October 22, 2008 in Brilliant Parenting Tips, Family

Yes, I came up with it, but it wasn’t a purposeful cognition. Only after it tumbled out of my mouth did I realize its brilliance. Also, in case this ever happens again, I had to put the “#1” to differentiate. 🙂

How many of our children always obey the first time they’re told to do something? (Warning: Answering this with a Yes will result in immediate expulsion from this blog!)

Yeah, I know the phrase, “Slow obedience is no obedience,” but my standards are not always as high as they should be. Just as the mighty ocean’s motion breaks the hardest rock into minuscule particles of sand, my bar of obedience occasionally erodes over time.

Wouldn’t Mighty Ocean’s Motion be a great name for a band?

Anyway, I had just finished telling my son to go brush his teeth for the third time when Brilliant Parenting Tip #1 spilled out of my brain. “If I have to tell you one more time, you’ll brush your teeth as many times as I said it!”

Has anyone else done this? Heard this before? I’ve read tons of parenting books, been to conferences, and so on and I’ve NEVER heard this. If I tell a child to make their bed and they don’t do it in a reasonable time, then I’ll tell them again. Which means he/she needs to make it, mess it up, and make it again. Oh, the hassle!

Nothing like a natural consequence to change behavior. 🙂

11 Responses to Brilliant Parenting Tip #1

  1. looksgoodinpolkadots October 22, 2008 at 8:18 pm #

    Brilliant!!!! I am so using this tomorrow morning! (Because there will, of course, be at least 10 opportunities before school.)

    Cheers!
    Jamie

  2. Anonymous October 23, 2008 at 6:22 am #

    “Why, that’s mathematically inconceivable!!”, Auntie D.

  3. Avily Jerome October 23, 2008 at 7:45 am #

    That’s awesome! It would totally work with my oldest- I’m not so sure about my two year old… But thanks for the Brilliant Parenting Tip!
    BTW, if you’re looking for a book with some really good insights, I really liked “To Train Up a Child” by Michael and Debi Pearl. I guarantee you won’t agree with everything in there, but the underlying principles and concepts are good.

  4. Sarah October 23, 2008 at 2:42 pm #

    Oohh. That’s good. If I had kids, I’d use it. 🙂

  5. Susan J. Reinhardt October 23, 2008 at 4:26 pm #

    Hi Christina –

    Sounds good to me. Of course, I don’t have any kids to practice on.

    Blessings,
    Susan 🙂

  6. Nikki R. October 23, 2008 at 7:16 pm #

    Just so you know I read it, I’m leaving my comment 🙂 It will be a fun one to try…we parents are oh too happy to try fun, new and “mean” things to our children…kind of sick isn’t it… 🙂

  7. Tammy Bowers October 24, 2008 at 12:39 pm #

    Yes, it is brilliant. I almost wish my kids were little again so I could use it…on second thought, I definitely wish they were little again. I LOVE the adults they have grown into, but oh how I miss the tiny tots they use to be. Enjoy this stage. Soon it will be gone forever.

  8. Laura Polk November 4, 2008 at 12:10 pm #

    Love your blog Christina. You crack me up. Thanks for checking out my blog. And… you inspired me with the books for life thing. Genius. 🙂

    Laura

    Contemplations of a Crispy Mom
    http://www.laurapolk.com

  9. Travis November 12, 2008 at 8:53 am #

    I’m wondering if I could employ this with a twist: If I tell you again, you have to make up EVERYONE’S bed, not just yours….

    Might be worth considering.

  10. Christina Berry November 12, 2008 at 10:12 am #

    Travis, I did something kind of like that last night. My son didn’t hang up his shirts when I gave them to him last laundry day. Guess what? He had to hang ALL of our clothes this time. 😉

  11. Travis November 12, 2008 at 10:52 am #

    Well, now I’m forced to try this out. I can’t wait for my kids to mess up!