Pregnancy
Behavior Makeover: Doesn't Listen
The situation
Okay, I admit it: Ryan, my eleven year old, doesn't respond whenever I ask him to do something. And I know he's not deaf: he hears the TV perfectly and keeps talking to his friends on the phone. I'm getting really tired of saying, "How many times do I have to tell you?"
– Barbara, a mom of two sons, from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
"Did you take the trash out?" Silence.
"Did you do your homework?" Leaves the room.
"Did you feed the dog?" Starts burning a new CD.
A lot of kids seem to be excelling at selective listening these days. Oh, they can hear the TV, their friends, and even the most obscure musical lyrics just fine. But when it comes to responding to certain parental inquiries or requests, it's a whole different story. If you've resorted to using threats, bribes, or yells to try to get your kid's attention, take heart: you're not alone. Parents magazine polled moms and dads about their toughest discipline challenge, and the hands-down winner was, "My kid doesn't listen to me."
More on: Behavior
Excerpted from:
From No More Misbehavin' by Michele Borba, Ed.D. Copyright © 2003 by Michele Borba. All rights reserved. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Buy the book at www.amazon.com.
