Parenting is such hard work. You know this to be true when you refuse your kids about something they want. While their reactions can be varied, it can range from crying, wailing, kicking, and perhaps the most challenging, tantrums. How we wish that kids can just take refusals in a stride, right? But just like everyone else, responding to refusals has to be learned.
Parents, we know your challenging job. As the caretakers of Pre-School and Daycare in El Paso, Texas, our experience with kids shows us that it’s never easy to be parents to little children or to be a parent at all. Hence, we partner with you in molding your child towards the better version of themselves as they grow up.
We would like to share with you these helpful tips on how you can empower your kids when they react to your refusals:

• Let them know you understand how they feel
  Tell them that you recognize their frustration but some things just have to be refused. It’s also important that you can provide a simplified explanation of why you’re refusing what they want. This can get a bit tricky, but in time, you’ll get the hang of it.
• Let them know that it’s alright to not get everything they want
  When you refuse your kid something, remind them that there’s a time for everything.
• Let them know that they can try again
  Sometimes, we refuse our kids’ requests because it’s not right for their age or not good for their health condition. Tell them that they can always request for it again and perhaps by then, they will be in a better situation to receive what they want.
• Let them know they’re appreciated
  It’s important that your child knows that your refusal is not because you don’t love them. On the contrary, affirm your love for them and emphasize that the reason you refused is for their overall safety and well-being. They may not understand it at that time, but they will surely have something to look back on.
• Let them make their own choice
  After you’ve refused their request according to your best judgment, provide an alternative which can be a good compromise. This can also be your opportunity to empower them on simple decision-making so that as kids, they already know that their choices matter to you.

In our Childcare Center in Texas, we have designated programs that aim to build up the learners we have. Yes, there are also instances that we do refusals but just like you, we do these for the kids’ best interests. We encourage you to continue on being the parent that you know you are, and we’ll just be right here to back you up when it comes to your kids’ learning growth. Don’t hesitate to inquire about our programs at Noah’s Nook Pre-School & DayCare.
What is your acquired wisdom on handling your kids’ reactions? Comment your insights below!