“Tell her you are sorry. Right now”!
“Say thank you, or you are not getting those sweets”.
“Allow her to play with your dolls, we share”.
“Stop crying”!
“Go to your room, and stay there until you have calmed down”…
Would you force another adult to say sorry, thank you, or to share??
Would you tell your friend that is upset, to “stop crying”, or “go away”, until she has calmed down?
So why do we speak to our children in that way?
Let’s treat our children (as young as they are!!) with respect, equality, compassion and the kindness they deserve, just the way we would treat any other adult.
Let’s teach them that:
It’s ok to not always share.
It’s ok to be unhappy /sad /angry /disappointed, and cry about it, or express discontent.
There are many ways to show remorse or gratitude, and you should find what works best for you.
Remember that the way we treat, and speak to our children, becomes their inner voice. We want that voice to be loving, caring and empathic.