Meg Meeker, MD – Make Your Words Meaningful

One of the most common complaints I hear from parents is this: “My kids don’t listen to me. It’s like my words fall on deaf ears. What’s going on?!”

So many parents, myself included, have had to repeat themselves over and over and have constantly been ignored.

Why aren’t kids listening?

When kids don’t listen, it’s because they know their parents don’t mean what they say. You might think you mean it, but if your actions don’t back up your words, you might as well be screaming at a wall.

So, what’s a frustrated parent to do?

To put meaning back into your words and teach your child to listen the first time around, you need to understand the six reasons why your words have become meaningless in the first place. If you’re struggling to get your kids to listen to and respect you, it’s probably because of one or more of these reasons.

• Reason #1: Your kids don’t believe you.
• Reason #2: They think they’re in charge, and that you have zero authority.
• Reason #3: You overspeak to them.
• Reason #4: You make empty threats.
• Reason #5: You’re unreasonable or unfair.
• Reason #6: You lecture, but never listen.

‍Now, here are five ways you can make your words meaningful again and make your words matter to your kids.

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