"He will acknowledge us and keep on trucking."
I read that line from one of your survey questions and honestly just sat with it for a second. This detail is such a specific kind of frustrating. At least when a child ignores you completely, you can tell yourself maybe they didn't hear you. When they look up, register what you said, and go right back to what they were doing, though… phewww. That one can get under your skin in a different way.
I want to share something with you that I think is going to reframe this whole situation, and I want you to stay with me on it even if your first reaction is "wait, but he really is just being stubborn."
I want you to start seeing this as a pattern that the both of you built together over time without either of you realizing it. But patterns can be changed and I’m going to show you exactly how.
After reading this week's issue, you'll know:
- What your child has actually learned from months of repeated warnings and why more warnings make it worse, not better
- Why getting close before you speak is the single most effective thing you can do (and why most parents skip it)
- The exact scripts for when your child keeps going, when they refuse, and when you need them in two minutes not right now
- What an extinction burst is because if you don't know it's coming, you will quit on day three right before it works
- Why you and your partner being even slightly misaligned is making this harder than it has to be
Let’s dive in!
