Hasn’t it happened all too often that you want to sit your kids down for a serious talk but they’d much rather something else? What’s worse, they sometimes even snap back at you. What can you do to grab their attention, long enough to get your message across?
First of all, make sure your kid is not hungry, tired or sleepy. Catching him in a bad mood is hardly the perfect time to talk to him about an important matter. Make sure he’s well-rested and in a fairly calm mood.
Try to lure him with his weakness. It could be a bucket of ice cream, or engaging him in conversation about his favorite basketball team. Again, the key is getting his attention.
Afterwards, you can gradually sneak in the topic you wish to bring up with him. He should be in a good enough mood to listen to you. Be sure to speak in a calm tone, as aggression will only elicit a negative response from your kid.
Kids do need respect from us too. If we give them that, they will unconsciously return the favor, and listen intently to what you have to say.