Having a strong-willed child can seem like an unfair challenge. But, in many ways, having a strong will is a great asset for life. It means your child will know what they want and will chase their dreams. That can be vital in life for success.
Of course, as a parent trying to guide your child, them being strong-willed is often not a blessing. Strong-willed children are likely to:
- Argue with you frequently
- Always find a way around your rules
- Be excellent at persuading people to do things
- Have a need to know why things are happening
- Generally takes command of a space
The bottom line is simple, your child has to be right and that can be exhausting. You need to know how to deal with them.
Get Help
As mentioned, it can be mentally exhausting dealing with a strong-willed child. But, you will need to be constantly at the top of your game. That’s why you should be looking at your local night nanny agency and getting some help.
To stay focused, supportive, and offer the best environment for your child, you’re going to need a good night’s sleep. A night nanny will ensure you get that.
It will help with your parenting and every other aspect of your life.
Always Acknowledge Their Point Of View
Strong-willed children want to have everything their way and you need to teach them that this isn’t always possible, they must compromise. The first step in this is to listen to them.
Create a simple rule, they can talk for one minute then it’s your turn, and so on. If they can’t adhere to this rule they need a time out and, when they are ready, you start the conversation again.
This will help them to deal with the situation calmly.
Alongside this, make sure you really listen to what they are saying and respond to their concerns.
Compromise
The art of compromise is essential to life. So, if your child really wants to do something you can make it conditional on other things being done. Or, if it isn’t feasible tell them and find a solution that is similar and feasible.
They will learn that this is the best solution for everyone. Again, this is a great life skill.
Give Them Choices
While there are some decisions that require compromise and some that you can’t be flexible on, there are others that they can decide themselves, such as what they want to wear.
Whenever possible, let them make their own decisions Or, if necessary give them several options and let them choose from those.
Know When To Draw The Line
When there is no room for further compromise (or any compromise), tell your child why and then tell them what will happen if they continue to argue. This gives them a warning which you must carry through on. It stops the argument from going around in circles and makes it easier to resolve issues in the future.
