Saying No to Your Kids is Good Parenting

Do you find it hard to refuse your child's every requests? Sure you've tried a couple of times, but eventually caved into those sweet puppy eyes or to their deafening screams. It doesn't hurt to keep your kids happy all the time, right? Just kids being kids.

Well, if your child always gets what they want, they learn to behave in a way that ensures you will give in every single time. It may influence an inflated sense of entitlement. And it can become stressful if their demands become impossible. Sometimes you just have to say no to excessive and unnecessary demands.

1. Saying no can manage unwanted behavior.

When you say yes to everything, you are actually reinforcing your child to repeat the behavior. Your child will pick up this cycle knowing he or she will get what they are asking for.   Children pick up cues from their caretakers as they grow up on how to act and respond in social situations. You are teaching the child that it's okay to cry, shout and be angry if things don't go their way. Teaching your kids discipline will allow them to recognize negative from positive behavior.

2. Saying no does not make you a bad parent.

It can be embarrassing when your child decides to throw a tantrum at a grocery store just because you denied him a candy bar before dinner. Looks from other shoppers become overwhelming so you give in.

You become obsessed with the idea of keeping your child happy and do not want to disappoint them that you allow them to take control over your decisions. You buy them that toy and you let them eat candy as often as they'd like. You'll end up having to deal with your child's overall health and dental issues. It can be quite difficult to pacify your child's fear of visiting the doctor or dentist. Sometimes, parents resort to lying to convince their child to distract them from uncomfortable situations.

As the primary caregiver, you are in charge of how you take care of your kids. Letting your kids run the show without consideration will make you a negligent parent and not because you said no.

3. Saying no instills life lessons.

Kids who are spoiled rotten may result to manipulative behavior. Setting them up for the real world by giving them the experience of being denied, when needed, teaches them to deal with the rejection, anger, and disappointment. They gradually begin to understand that life does not always go with every want and whim. That sometimes you have to work through it and accept that it's okay.

4. Saying no is part of parenting.

One of the hardest part of raising your kids is to deny them of what clearly will give happiness but at the same time is also unacceptable. You try your best to shield your kids from awful experiences but this will not help them thrive. As a parent, it is your duty to equip your child the right tools to navigate through life as they grow up to become who they want to be.

Written by Guest Author for The Healthy Moms Magazine and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.