This Kid Can't Take NO for an Answer
Apr 16, 2024
“This kid can’t take no for an answer!” I found this phrase coming out of my mouth recently after a fierce argument with my son over being denied an extra 30 minutes of screen time.
It’s a common complaint from my clients, especially when they are trying to create and enforce boundaries. When we start working together, they begin to hold healthy limits with their kids, and there’s a lot of resistance.
Kids Hate Being Told No
Just like everyone else on the planet, kids hate being told no, and they express that in some very dramatic ways. Arguments, tantrums, rebellion, flying objects, insults…they’re all par for the course.
These crazy outbursts are not what we have in mind when we step into leadership with our kids, so we tell ourselves it means that they can’t accept the limitations we have put in place.
But what if those outbursts WERE your kid taking no for an answer?
What if this is what taking no for an answer looks like right now for your child?
The problem isn’t that our kids can’t take no for an answer. It’s that WE can’t take HOW they take no for an answer. Realizing this, the path becomes clear - accept the response (possibly by giving an additional consequence), continue to hold the boundary, and trust that your child’s way of taking no for an answer will grow as you do these things.
Taking NO for an Answer
Some of my superpowers are reframing parenting situations like this and helping you stay the course when things don’t go as you expected. This allows us to take back control in moments that feel out of our hands, holds us accountable, and opens up new options for how we respond to our kids.
It’s hard to do that reframe on your own.
We need an outside lens to help us shift and stick it out. This is where I come in. It’s my job to offer you a different perspective and help you act from that new perspective even when the going gets tough. Set up a Discovery Call today and let me show you how differently parenting and your approach can look. You’ll share your struggles with me and get life-changing feedback, and we’ll figure out where you want to go next. See you soon!
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