The Peterson Family

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

You have two options!

One of my preferred parenting techniques with Braylon is to present two options. One, the thing I want him to do. Two, a much less atractive alterative to the thing I want him to do. Here are a couple of examples:
Braylon you have two options, you can either clean up your toys or take a nap. ( In this case I am trying to get him to clean)
Braylon you can put your coat on or go clean up or toys. (In this case I am going for the caot)
Braylon you can either eat that chicken or eat those spinach leaves ( in that case the chicken is the choice I am going for, knowing that the spinach is an impossibility.)
Braylon, you have two options: you can share your toys with Will or you can go have a time out in your room.
You get the idea....
The other day, Braylon tried this tactic out on me during nap time... Mom you have two options: you can either lay down and take a nap with me or you can go to the bathroom and then come and take a nap with me. He doesn't quite get the strategy yet in that they were the same options, but I did lay down and take a nap with him as a reward for using such a brillant strategy.