#REVOLVE AROUND HOW TO#
#REVOLVE AROUND MOVIE#
#REVOLVE AROUND FREE#

I gave my oft-neglected child some Mom Time Coupons. Explain that you recognize the unfairness and while life isn’t always fair, you want to do what you can to make things better. Thank the kids who have to be more flexible and praise them for their patience and willingness to go along. If the situation cannot be changed, get intentional.

#REVOLVE AROUND MOVIE#

You can tell us why you want to watch this movie instead.” 4. Don’t go along with it just because he’s arguing. I find myself telling the other one, “Speak up. One of my kids has stronger opinions and we often end up watching what he wants. I see this happen when we’re picking a movie for our family movie nights.

Family life is the perfect place for kids to gently learn that the world doesn't revolve around them. Make an effort to avoid asking your compliant child to give in or go along with a more demanding sibling just to end the conflict. Family life is the perfect place for kids to gently learn that the world doesn’t revolve around them. Work on teaching demanding kids that they can’t have their way every time. If one child is demanding, obstinate, and inflexible, stand your ground. It’s one of the privileges that comes with getting older and having more responsibility. You could use this as an opportunity to reward your older child with an extra activity and give your younger one something to look forward to.

#REVOLVE AROUND FREE#

No one’s going to be happy if you just start canceling extracurriculars, so use our free extracurricular monthly cost sheet and extracurricular time worksheet to put it all in writing and have a discussion. But if you have a child who is always asking to do a new activity, you might need to pull the reins and say no just to try to keep some balance. Try to have each child involved in the same number of activities or in activities that require the same amount of time and money. If one child is getting shorted or you realize you play favorites, discuss it as a family. I’m glad he said something because I could tell he felt slighted. I’ve been dumping everything on him instead of looking at their space fairly.

My younger son pointed out to me that all of the “essential shared items” in his and his brother’s bedroom (the lamp, sound machine, diffuser, and fishtank) are on his dresser, leaving him no room for his personal stuff. It’s a decision they made as a family, but my friend said she can tell her daughter goes along begrudgingly. Her daughter has to eat in the car and do homework on the bleachers while her brother practices. Does one child get special treatment or allowances? Does one child’s schedule preclude another child from doing something he or she wants to do? A friend of mine is a single mom and has a child in baseball. Make an honest assessment of how much you give each of your children.Ĭonsider all of your kids and what demands they make on the family, not just your personal schedule.

#REVOLVE AROUND HOW TO#

Are you unsure about whether you play favorites and how to make it right if you discover that you do? Put into practice these 4 steps for not letting your family revolve around one child. My younger son didn’t have much of a chance to do anything he wanted to do. I enrolled my older son in theater one summer, which made our entire day’s schedule revolve around drop-off and pick-up. Some children can’t help being the squeaky wheel in a family others can. Now, in some homes, life revolves around a particular child because the child has a special need. On the other hand, my still wonderful but more complicated child seems to get less of my cheerfulness and less of my patience because we’re more often in conflict. I find myself doing more for him and letting him get his way because he’s just so easy.

Do you play favorites with your children? Most moms would say, “No! Of course not!” But I know I’m usually more cheerful and sweet with my less-demanding child.

Revolve around