Our kids have a tendency to never give up! That is helpful in many parts of their lives but can be frustrating and tiresome for parents when it comes to constant requests for “stuff”. Here are some ways to manage the seemingly endless demands for more:
1.Agree to what you can say yes to. Make sure everyone in the family knows what is a yes and what is a no. If you decide that books are a yes item then be sure that you set a limit and stick to it. If video games are a no then be sure that everyone in the family knows this. Your child will call everyone including a 5th cousin that you didn’t even know about to ask for this item. This is especially important around the holidays. It can be helpful to send a list to family members with what is ok to buy and what is not ok to buy. Open the packages ahead of time to be sure that what your child received is acceptable to you.
2. Don’t give in. Sometimes it may seem easier to just give in but in the long run this will cause an increase in the behavior.
3. Ignore the fallout. Sticking to limits may cause your child to become upset and take it out on you. Try to ignore the reaction and know that they are only saying hurtful things to get their way. This won’t last.
Setting limits on demands is hard, there is no question about that but it will create a calmer and more predictable environment for everyone if you follow through with setting limits.
