Skip to main content

Six Things to do When Bending Rules in Parenting

There's a great story circulating on the Web right now where a Porsche 911 owner in San Francisco wasn't interested in abiding by a set of traffic construction rules and as a result, he drove is beautiful sports car straight into wet concrete.  I watched a similar incident many years ago while stopped at an intersection.  A guy driving a souped up truck, with huge mudder tires and way up off the ground grew impatient and drove up on the sidewalk to pass the line of traffic.  As he neared the intersection and was about to turn onto the main cross street, he drove over the stub of what was once a sign post and blew out his tire.  The embarrassment for these two drivers alone was the natural consequence of not following rules.


There is a varying level of risk one must accept when bending rules in society.  Rules are intended to keep everything fair and everyone safe, and for efficiency.  They are put in place for a reason.  So where am I going with this?  Reading this article this morning reminded me that the same goes for parenting; good parents put rules in place and reinforce them.  But some situations will arise in parenting when it might be a good thing to bend a rule for the benefit of a situation or even your relationship with your child.  Where many parents fail is in re-implementing the rules after the temporary bend.


If you're going to bend a rule now and then with your child, do the following six things:

  • Announce the rule break as an official temporary change
  • If necessary, document the rule AND the breakage
  • Tell your child when it will go back into effect
  • Be calm when your child tries to get you to break it again
  • Let your child know that asking for rule breaks is OK
  • If your child screams or throws a fit, calmly walk away
The way you react to your child's requests for rule breaks is key to building a strong parent/child relationship.  She will love occasional rule breaks and will grow to respect you even more by the way you handle her requests or her fits.


Watch my TV show at http://www.TheParentingShow.tv

Comments

Post a Comment

Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *

About Me

My photo
Bill Corbett
Bill Corbett is a nationally recognized parent educator, author, and speaker known for his practical and compassionate approach to raising children. He has helped countless parents, caregivers, and professionals better understand child behavior and discipline through his workshops, seminars, books, and media appearances. As the creator of the "Love, Limits & Lessons" parenting program, Corbett emphasizes respectful and effective communication, age-appropriate expectations, and the importance of emotional connection in child-rearing. His work is grounded in positive discipline strategies that foster cooperation and confidence in both children and parents.

Popular posts from this blog

Why Love and Logic has it Wrong... Again!

Children don’t often demonstrate respect because they either don’t know what it looks like or, as the Father of Individual Psychology, Alfred Adler taught us, their disrespectful behavior is their way of attempting to get unmet needs satisfied.  The secret to getting kids to treat their parents and others with respect is to first treat them with respect and to then help them find their place in the family or the classroom.  But the creators of the LOVE AND LOGIC parenting program would have you believe differently.  All parenting programs are not created equal and in my opinion, many are misguided and offer parents and teachers bad information.  It is my belief that we should not just be demanding and manipulating our kids to be more cooperative, we should be raising children who WANT to cooperate and be engaged in the family or classroom because they feel encouraged to do so. HOW TO STOP KIDS' BEGGING FOR TOYS One of those programs that frequently offers...
6 comments
Read more

Is Your Child Asking for a Labubu?

What is this "Creepy-Cute" Collectible All About? Labubu has become a huge hit around the world as a collectible that brings together fashion lovers, collectors, and celebrities. Kasing Lung made this small monster in 2015 for his Monsters art collection, which was based on Nordic mythology. After Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung made Labubu in 2015 for his The Monsters art project, Chinese toy company Pop Mart made a lot of them in blind-box sets. The toy comes in a blind package that hides all of its features. There are more than 300 variations as of the time this article was written. So what's the big deal? 1. The excitement of perhaps acquiring a rare item. Psychologists believe it's like gambling or an obsession, and this makes a dopamine loop. 2. The mix of silky fur and pointed, jagged teeth in "ugly-cute" and edgy styles is quite appealing. 3. A desire that celebrities and social media make people feel. Kids want to stay up with the current trends be...
Post a Comment
Read more

Connection First: Why Your Child Needs You More Than Your Consequences

Most parents share the desire for their child to become kind while developing respect and emotional strength. A peaceful home environment matters more to you than the chaotic atmosphere of constant power struggles between you and your child. The urge to establish consequences for boundary pushing from children leads parents into a pattern of questioning what punishment will stop their behavior. Children do not require increased disciplinary measures. Their needs extend beyond the realm of consequences to include a stronger connection. Get the LOVE, LIMITS & LESSONS cooperations book by CLICKING HERE . The Myth of “Making Them Learn” The standard parenting approach instructs parents to remove privileges when their child misbehaves. The method works to obtain temporary compliance, but it does not lead to sustained growth. Children develop better through relationships that offer them emotional safety and help them manage their feelings and actions. Our fru...
Post a Comment
Read more