Andrea Loewen Nair: Connect-Four Parenting

Feb
15
2016

A to Z of Taming Tantrums: K is for OK!

Did you know that this simple little word can be counterproductive for kids?

A to Z of Taming Tantrums | YummyMummyClub.ca

Hi! Andrea Nair here. Welcome back to the A to Z of Taming Tantrums. This episode is about the letter K, and K is for OK.

You might be wondering why OK is linked to tantrums. Our very well meaning hope to check in for our child's understanding by adding an "OK?" at the end of our instructions actually turns that direction into a yes/ no question. At this point, your child could shout, "NO!" which is a fair response to your request.

I used to be a chronic OK overuser and saw the unhelpful effect this had on my kids. I'll bet I said this word 20 to 30 times a day! Do you say, "OK?" Please watch this week's video to learn why this simple word can cause frustration and refusal:

I encourage you to reduce the number of times you say, "OK" when it's time to get your child moving. As I mentioned in the I video, clear, straightforward instructions that aren't posed as questions are more likely to get your child wanting to cooperate.

Please do read this post if you'd like more information on why our friendly OK can be counterproductive.

We're so excited to share with you the A to Z of Taming Tantrums video series! 

Each week we'll share the next letter of the alphabet and Andrea will discuss how it relates to reducing tantrums - and improve our experience as parents! You can view each video here as they are added each Friday.