Page 28 - The Intentional Parent

the most expensive item from a restaurant menu when you know she will not finish it.
Turning Intention to Action:
A good way of helping your child understand the distinction of when she has a choice and when she does not is by making the distinction early on. Some things that you can say to help your child understand that it is your choice to give her a choice are:
From 2-5
• “You pick, this time.”
• “What would you like to do for now.”
• “I would like for you to help me decide.”
From 6-12
All of the above plus...
• “I will give you your choice this time.” • “You can decide this one.”
• “I think you can make this choice.”
• “I’ve decided to let you decide.”
Best yet, connect it to some behavior in the recent past to show your child that there is a relationship between responsibility and freedom of choice such as:
“Since, you did such a good job cleaning your room, you can choose xyz.”
After watching parents give their kids too many choices (like the parent who asks the three year old, “Where should we go out to eat tonight?”), I have given the question of why parents find the advice
The Intentional Parent by Peter J. Favaro, Ph.D. 28