Look Out I'm Parenting Here! Getting Through The Day Chapter 3: Out The Door (Part 4)

Make It Fun

What is something you absolutely hate doing? I can honestly say, for me, it's cleaning. Never liked it, don't really enjoy it, and I would always put it off for another time. Over the last couple years though, something changed that made the experience of scrubbing floors and vacuuming something I would look forward to. Now whenever I do tasks such as cleaning, I have a podcast on, or a YouTube channel to listen to. This make the time spent wiping dust off the countertops and cabinets a time of potentially learning something new. All of a sudden I turned a potentially unpleasant experience, and made it into something that I can use to catch up on all the latest episodes of Joe Rogan.

Ted says as much in this section of the chapter. Parents tend to be very future minded, whereas kids are much more focused on what is in front of them. We should then make a conscious effort to get more connected with our kids even at times where the family is basically running a fire drill in the house trying to make it to whatever event you have going on. How do we make this connection? Well, instead of being overly pushy and aggressive, try making a game out of the whole process. A game could be being the first to put their shoes on, or who can find their jacket before I can. These games not only would be fun, but would also keep the kids engaged on the task at hand.

When parents are frustrated and anxious about leaving by a certain time, the kids end up feeling this pressure too. Is it any wonder they don't want to leave in a timely fashion like you do? I remember a quote that went something like, "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar". The vinegar in this situation is your frustration, honey would be the fun. Which do you think kids would rather have? Making a fun and engaging game out of getting out the door will make your kids more cooperative. This will equate to shipping off a lot quicker and a very merry family.