Analysis Of Teaching Children To Accept 'No'

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Teaching Children to Accept "No" for an Answer The dreaded “No”. It is an answer that children prefer not to hear. “Dad, can I play my Xbox?” “Mom, can I go over to Chris’ this weekend”? Questions, questions questions. Our inquisitive kiddos are filled to the brim with inquiries and we as parents have to be prepared for what they throw at us. When teaching our children to accept “No” for an answer, it’s important to realize that we must say “No” sometimes, just because. There is power in the “No” and we don’t always have to justify why we said it. It’s not to be cruel or unjust, but “no” is a tool parents use to train children to accept rejection as a part of life. Without the mechanism of accepting this answer, our little ones grow up believing all things must go in their favor. When they are told “No” at school or with their friends they may not know how to process rejection. (Remember – we want to keep the kids from bullying teachers/ministry workers into having their own way; again it starts at home). Now we know our children ask us everyday for something. There are some theories that rationalize telling our children “No” negatively affects their self-esteem. On the contrary, I believe “No” actually helps kid’s …show more content…

How do we teach our children the appropriate ways to respond to situations that are beyond our control? We illustrate peace. By teaching our children to stay calm, we equip them to handle life’s difficulties with ease. The Bible says in Matthew 5:45, “…he lets rain fall on the just and the unjust.” Realizing that just because we are believers, have faith and follow Christ does not simply make problems disappear. How we handle these challenges reflects who we are in Christ. Children have to learn as early as possible to allow the peace of God to guide their decisions in spite of disappointing

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