“It’s time to do your homework, dear.”
“Just a minute. I just have to finish this.”
“You know you have to complete your homework. It won’t take
long.”
“Just a minute. I just have to finish this.”
“Why do I have to remind you? Why can’t you simply do the work
yourself? We have been through this before. There is a time to play and a time
to do homework.”
“Oh yes. Just a minute. I just have to finish this.”
Encouraging children to do extra work, in some cases, seems
to require the skills and attributes of a policy maker. Almost every parent on
earth knows that the best strategy is to move the responsibility from the
formal `parent/child’ relationship to the individual choices of the child.
A further sweeping statement must follow to clarify the
intent of the previous paragraph. Parents will know that there is an inverse
relationship between the number of transactions required to encourage their
child to study and the length and depth of the dialogue.
Children will often attempt to delay, divert and dissipate
the effect of any dictates.
“Please can I have a drink first. I am very thirsty.”
“You have just had one. Why do you need another one?”
At this stage the unwary parent may not notice that the discussion
has moved from doing homework to needing a drink. A discussion on diabetes, diet
and the need for exercise may follow.
(Focus Mum, Focus Dad!)
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