5.8 – Negotiation

There are things that you need your children to do and there are things that your children need from you. This is where you start to think smart and enter the world of negotiation! A negotiation is a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement. What is it that you need your children to do?

• Do their homework?
• Empty their PE bag?
• Walk the dog?
• Clean their football boots?
• Run a bath?
• Put their pyjamas on?
• Put the washing machine on?
• Call their Nan? etc etc etc

We want our children to do these things so, when they grow up, they will be independent and able to act responsibly. Of course children want and need us to do things for them – major responsibilities like feeding them and making important decisions just have to be done. However, much of the other stuff, like taking them to football, dropping them to a sleepover, playing games, saving for a drum kit (and earplugs for yourself!), making a school play outfit etc, etc, leaves room for negotiation.

When a child needs something from you, think about what you need from them. On the next page we'll take look at some real life scenarios and see how we can negotiate.

Next: 5.9 – Negotiation scenariosBack: 5.7 – Complying with our requests and instructions 2