How to Say No

“No” can sometimes sound like “yes” to a child. Here’s how to set clear boundaries

“I just don’t know why Ezra doesn’t listen. He does whatever he pleases despite the fact that I tell him very clearly that he’s not allowed to write on the walls or throw his toys around the room. Even though he’s only two I know he understands me perfectly but he just looks at me and does it again. A lot of the time he smiles mischievously as he does it like he knows it’s wrong but also knows that he can do what he wants.”

Toddlers are like that. To some extent they operate outside the rules of society. However it’s the parents’ job to tame and train these little people helping them to become civilized and socialized. But teaching isn’t always easy.

Going for the Long Haul

Human beings take a really long time to grow up. Even at age 20 they are far from formed and their identity can fluctuate wildly over the course of the first decade of adulthood. Therefore parents need to develop tremendous patience. They also need to develop strong positive imaginative skills to counteract their naturally strong negative thoughts and images.