You Wouldn't Try to Drink Coffee with a Fork ☕🍴

☕🍴No matter how many times you dip it in, it’s not going to work.

It’s frustrating, messy and you’ll still end up thirsty.

That’s what it’s like when parents keep using the same strategy, hoping this time it’ll finally lead to lasting behavior change.

The problem isn’t the parent.

And it’s not the child.

It’s the tool 🔧 .

When the approach doesn’t fit the situation —

when we keep

repeating explanations,

give reminders,

or threaten punishment —

we’re using a fork 🍴  when the moment calls for a ☕ cup.

Here’s one idea:  Ask your child, “Why is this so hard?” 

You may hear, “I don’t know,” but you may hear a reason and that is gold 🌟 .  You can do something with that. 

Come at it from a different angle 🔄  that makes sense given the new info.

Here’s another idea: Consider that your child needs more help than you think.  Sometimes kids get stuck and they don’t know why or they don’t know how to adjust.  Give a little “leg up”.

Because behavior change doesn’t come from trying harder —

it comes from trying differently.

That’s what I help parents do every day — find the right tools to make change stick.