Negotiating with your kids is the best way to avoid power struggles and to “figure it out”, whatever “it” is. It’s coming to an agreement rather than getting involved in an argument, it’s working together as parent and child to negotiate issues that come up.
When your kids are speaking to you, respond in a way that allows children to understand that you heard them. I’m not necessarily talking about understanding or agreeing with the child; I’m talking about a statement that sends an important message that you’re a parent who cares and you’re listening!
Once you’ve build a solid foundation for a strong parenting team, the fun part begins: the process of problem solving and negotiating as a team. This process is more of an art that it is a science.
