Determined to “Win” Power Struggles with Your Kids?
Parenting is rewarding and challenging! As humans, all our behaviors are motivated by attempts to meet needs. We all have basic needs for survival and psychological needs to thrive. Much of the motivation behind our behavior is unconscious to us.
As a parent, if you find yourself feeling ANGRY or CHALLENGED by your kid’s behavior and you think to yourself, “The battle is on! You’re not going to win little one!” DISENGAGE! DISENGAGE! DISENGAGE! You will not “win.” They are younger and have more energy! Save yourself the stress and frustration. The second you feel yourself being triggered or hooked into a power struggle, DISENGAGE! Check yourself, remain calm and kind, walk away, literally get away from your kid and take a break.
Your child is indicating to you that they need opportunities to exercise choice and display power in constructive ways, they need to feel CAPABLE AND SELF-RELIANT. So be creative in designing appropriate choices and ways for them to demonstrate power. And remember logical consequences are always an option!
If you would like support around managing power struggles and strategies for encouraging positive uses of power, Coriander Living Collective is here to help!
