Rating:
Knowledgeability Clarity of Response Politeness
10 10 10
Questioner: joey
Subject: single parent with out of control 9 yr old
Question: I’m a single parent. My 9 yr old son recently started being defiant telling me he is not doing his homework and giving me a hard time waking in the morning. I just took away He wants to run the show. He constantly telling he’s bored
. I just took away his game systems for smarting off. But this hasn’t helped. HELP
Answer: Dear Joey:
Why not sit down and ask him what is wrong. Sounds like something has changed in his life and he is angry. Ask him about what and then listen, listen and listen some more.
Let him know the rules have changed and he is quite welcome to play his game systems everyday as soon as his homework is done and how much time he may spend.
Rather than taking things away phrase the discipline in a more positive light. Tell him what he can do to earn the play time he covets.
When he uses his grown up words (rather than being rude) then he earns time for (whatever it is he likes to do).
This way he earns his privileges rather than demands them and he will feel better about himself as well.
Best Wishes!
M Kay Keller
