One of the biggest struggles in every parent’s life is getting their kids to listen and follow through with what they’ve asked of them. What’s surprising, listening isn’t usually the problem. For example, let’s say you’ve repeated, “Go take out the trash before dinner” a few times to your tween, but they still aren’t responding. So now, try whispering the same command in their ear. I can almost guarantee they will respond. But the question is, will they do what you’ve asked of them without backtalk?
The issue isn’t necessarily that our kids aren’t listening to us. Kids listen, and with a little change in how we communicate with them, this aspect can sort itself out rather quickly. The biggest struggle comes when parents ask their kids to do something, and they are met with disobedience. Sure, the initial trying to get them to “hear” you is frustrating, but the follow-through is where most parents get frustrated.
The why behind “My child doesn’t listen to me”
Let’s get back to the basics real quick. Ask yourself — is your child an adult? Can kids make decisions like adults? Can they hold a job like adults? Have they learned all the social interaction skills like adults have? Now, ask yourself, can kids listen and respond the way that adults can?
The answer? Absolutely not. Why? Because they’re still learning. And guess who their teacher is? You.
Parenting, in a nutshell, is teaching. It’s your job to show your kids how to listen and follow through. But sometimes, we forget that our kids need time and understanding to figure it all out. So as you’re teaching them to listen and follow-through, remember to give them the same grace you like to receive when you’re learning something.
Behavior or heart – Raising a robot or a critical thinker?
If we want to raise robots, we can use whatever means necessary to get them to do what we want to do when we want them to do it. And if we’re all honest here, that’s easier than doing the intentional work that parenting often requires. But where do you think their heart’s posture will be? Will they be doing something you ask of them because they’re afraid or because they truly want to do what you’ve asked of them?
Here on the blog, I want to challenge parents to pay attention to their child’s hearts, not just their behavior. What does that mean? Don’t just react to your child’s behavior but nurture, pay attention and understand their hearts.
For example. If your child lies to you, are you going to simply send them to their room and give them a consequence? Or are you going to talk to them about the repercussions of lying? Are you going to identify with them and share about that one time you lied and how it affected you negatively? Are you going to, with compassion, say, “I totally understand how it’s sometimes hard to tell the truth, but God calls us to be honest because it’s the right thing to do?” And while a consequence might be needed, it’s important that you help them understand the “why” behind it all.
Helping your child with the “why” in life will help them to reason for themselves. It’s the difference between them growing up and becoming a robot who just does things because his parents say so, or becoming someone who reasons, thinks, and makes decisions based on God’s standard for his life, not trying to please his parents.
Now that we’ve dug a little deeper into some of the foundational parts of raising kids who will more likely listen let’s talk about some practicalities.
For more specific information on how to get your TODDLER to listen, scroll to the end. As the foundations of helping your child listen are concrete, there are a few things that toddlers specifically need from their parents.7 Ways to Help Your Child Listen and Follow Through
1. Help your child to listen by giving them at least 15 seconds to respond
Remember when I said that kids aren’t adults? A child’s brain hasn’t fully developed yet, which is scientifically why they take a little more time to let something sink in. So next time you say something, and they weren’t distracted, give them some time! And if they still haven’t gotten it yet, you can also try saying, “Can I have your eyes on me while I say something?” Or even whisper it in their ear!
Also, every child is different, so figuring out the best way to communicate based on your child will also be beneficial.
2. Help your child listen by having them repeat it back to you
“I need you to be done with reading in 10 minutes so you can go to bed. When do I need you to be done?” Then have them look at the clock and repeat back at what time they should be done.It’s also good to not give them a long-winded list of things to do and hope they remember all of it. Instead, give them one task at a time so as to not overwhelm their little minds.
Again, their brains aren’t fully developed, and they are learning so much within a day! Have patience!
3. Help your child listen by changing up your wording
Instead of saying, “Can you take out the trash?” Turn it into a command. For example, say, “I need you to take out the trash now.” This can be a hard habit to break for most parents, but using commands instead of questions will lessen your child’s desire to talk back and give excuses as to why they don’t want to. Unless I’m gathering information from my child, this has proven to be very helpful in our house!4. Help your child listen by eliminating distractions
If you’re trying to get your child’s attention while the TV is on, the baby is screaming, and everyone is frantically getting ready to head out the door, then you’re setting everyone up for failure. Eliminating distractions or communicating in times where there are no distractions is one of the best ways to help everyone pay attention. Turn off the TV. Put down your phones. This will help clear the air and enable your child to be able to listen better.
5. Help your children listen by having a family attention phrase
If you have a lot of kids and a lot of chaos, it can be challenging to get everyone’s attention. Try coming up with a phrase that everyone knows means; pay attention immediately. It could be something like, “Where are your ears!?” and have them say, “Ears right here!” so you know you have their attention.6. Help your child listen by changing the way you communicate
Barking orders at everyone around you never works well. It might work in a military setting but not in the home. Instead, get down to their level, look them in the eye, and talk to them like you’re having a conversation with them. Talk with respect and love, but be firm if need be. Remember you’re still the parent, but also remember that they are still children. They will respond much better to calm and collected voices rather than yelling and screaming.
7. Help your child listen by modeling the behavior you want to see in them
Are you staring at your phone when your kids are trying to talk to you? Does it take your child saying, “Mom!” a few times before you respond? Model the actions that you desire from your children. The best form of teaching is modeling. Kids suck at listening but are really good at imitating!
The longer I’m a parent, the more I know my kids, and the better I become at communicating. Learning to have healthy communication in the family takes effort and self-control, but it’s so worth it. And always remember, just like you, your kids are learning as they go. Let grace for yourself and one another be at the forefront of your mind.
How to get your toddler to listen
Toddlers are wonderful, misunderstood, physically and mentally draining little ones. And if you have a highly sensitive or strong-willed one like mine, then you’re in for a wild ride when it comes to helping them self-regulate, as well as listen and follow through on what you’re asking of them.
And while every toddler will at some point start testing boundaries as they discover the world for the first time, there are some who have a more challenging time accepting and understanding the “why” behind not being able to do whatever they want.
As I stated above, you want to teach them how to think for themselves and be independent while establishing loving boundaries that will, in the long run, benefit their lives. Good parenting is all about balance and understanding your child’s specific needs and ways they feel loved before you begin to teach them valuable lessons and boundaries in life.
Figure out their love language
Understanding your child’s love language will be your greatest asset in communicating healthily as a family. In short, you can QUICKLY know how to help your toddler listen and avoid meltdowns and tantrums, by simply speaking their language.
And while every child is different, they ALL have a love language. A language you can begin to learn from a very early age.
Be patient and wait for the right momentWhen it comes to communicating with your toddler, it’s all about timing. If they are in the middle of a meltdown and you’re trying to reason with them, it’s similar to putting gasoline on a fire in hopes of putting it out. Instead, be patient and wait it out.
Use positive phrases like, “I want to help you, so I’ll wait until you feel better and we can figure it out.” Be patient and let them see that you’re in control. They need to see that you’re not losing control and acting on your emotions in order for them to learn how to regulate their own emotions.
Give them a choice
Most strong-willed kids do well when they feel as though they are given a choice. “Do you want water WITH ice, or without it?” Instead of “Drink your water!”
By simply changing the way you ask and talk, you can avoid a lot of confrontation.
The ONE thing most parents don’t know about their toddlers
Now, here’s possibly the best advice you will ever receive when it comes to your toddler that is often overlooked. From infancy, your child has been using crying to get what they want, simply because there is no other way for them to communicate other than that. So until they learn how to communicate better, it’s natural for them to whine and cry.As a baby, they cried when they were hungry, tired, hurting, or uncomfortable. So as they get older, they will continue to do so, until you teach them another way.
So don’t be frustrated or surprised by your toddler crying or getting frustrated to get what they want. They’ve been doing it their entire lives. Be patient and remember that they are LEARNING. But they won’t learn, unless you teach them how to do it the right way, with patience, understanding, and so much more patience.
Again, I would love to walk with you through your parenting journey as I know it’s TOUGH, especially when you’ve been blessed with a highly sensitive or strong-willed child. Book your FREE call today!
Change the way you talk to them.
Along with talking in a kind and gentle voice, it’s important you don’t just spit words out based on your feelings but rather thoughtfully assess how what you say will affect your child.
Let’s say you need to leave the park and you KNOW your toddler is going to have a meltdown, throwing you into a frenzy. So you either come up with a bribe to get them to do what you want or drag them out kicking and screaming. And while sometimes there’s nothing one can do to get their toddler to comply and leave the park willingly, there are some phrases you can try to see if it helps
After you give them a 5-minute warning, try these phrases.
“I know it’s hard to stop doing something that’s fun, so let’s figure out what fun things we can do together in the car on the way home!”
“Let’s hop like froggies to the car!”
“Guess what we’re having for lunch?! Your favorite!”
It helps to get them excited about the next thing. As toddlers struggle to transition from one event to the next, it’s your job to figure out how to make it a smooth one. If they still aren’t able to self-regulate and accept the change, then it might just be one of those days! They aren’t perfect.
Remember that your kids are learning and having patience with them will help you enjoy parenting.
If you feel as though they have crossed boundaries and start hitting and being unkind, then discipline may be required. But make sure the discipline fits the offense — another key aspect of parent my coaching sessions delve deep into.
Positive parenting tools for every parent
Screen Time Protection and Teaching Moderation
Bark Premium (Parental Control App – use this link or code WFTBBLOG to try it for an EXTRA one-month FREE) – Read more about Bark Premium in my review here; perfect if your child already has a phone, but you need a parental control app to do the heavy lifting of content monitoring.The Bark Phone – Perfect for parents looking to find their children an affordable phone that protects them from all angles – internet, unsafe apps, messaging, cyberbullying, emails, etc. Starting at $49/mo, all plans include a phone, Bark Premium, and wireless service, with no contract commitment. For younger kids, you, as the parent, can enable the phone for messaging and calls ONLY. And as they mature, you can allow more freedoms/apps (any app you wish). This phone grows WITH your child and eliminates the need to purchase multiple phones at various times in their maturity.
Computer use – When it comes to their computers, you can use Covenant Eyes.
TV’s, gaming consoles, and at-home protection – Bark Home (manage screen time and filter websites on all of the internet-connected devices in your house — including gaming consoles, TVs, and more. VidAngel (Skip or mute what you don’t want to see or hear on popular streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu.)
Screen Time Checklist Printable for Kids – FREE if you sign up for our weekly newsletter. Just fill out your info below.
Book List for Kids and Parents
Check out my recommended books for parenting.
Journaling for KidsWhen a child is old enough to start drawing, coloring, or writing, journaling is an incredible way to help your kids better express themselves. Check out our Kid’s Printable Journals — created specifically to help children better express their feelings, encourage gratitude, and spark the imagination.
Chores for Kids
Magnetized Chalk Chart for Fridge
Implementing chores and structure in your child’s daily life is a beneficial tool to teach them follow through, discipline, and respect. We use this chore chart in our family to help our kids keep track of their progress and keep you from constantly reminding them of their daily tasks.
If you’re looking for something simpler, this is also a good option.
Chore Chart Printable – Get it NOW from the convenience of your own printer.
If you’re looking for something you can print out immediately and start implementing chores in your home today, check out this CHORE CHART PRINTABLE. With a Mandalorian theme, it makes for a lighthearted and fun way to encourage kids to do their daily and weekly “missions.”
Emotional Connectivity with Your Kids
Connecting on a deeper level emotionally with your child is CRUCIAL and sometimes more difficult. We play THIS GAME often in our family to create a safe space for our kids to share their questions and emotions without judgment. We even offer an “Exemption Time” for the duration of this game, where anything he tells us is off the table for consequences.
