Choice-Making and Compliance
Some things have to get done. So we use Grandma's Law and present it in a First-Then statement. And they do it! Every time! Right?
Nope. Nothing's foolproof.
Parents, educators, bosses, spouses, really anyone interacting with other people need lots of options to use when trying to motivate people to do things. (A nice fat salary is highly motivating for adults and a big giant sundae has the same draw for most kids.)
Offering your child (or spouse, coworker, employee, etc.) choices is another tool we can use to motivate them to do what NEEDS to be done (but don't particularly want to do). It allows them some control over the situation. It's also a part of teaching them how to make good decisions. By giving some control over what's happening you're increasing their motivation and they are more likely to do what NEEDS to be done.
How do I do it?
Follow up your Grandma's Law statement with a choice. Below is a visual I made just for you to illustrate what kind of choices you can offer. Feel free to print it out and post it!
Offering Choices.pdfWant to make it even more effective? Follow these tips:
Give choices that you're okay your child choosing.
Don't give a choice that you can't deliver on.
Avoid using a threat as one of those choices. (i.e. "You can do your work or go to your room for the rest of the day.")
The next time you NEED your child to do something that you know they don't like, try adding in a choice when you make the request.