I mean, unless it\u2019s absolutely necessary, try not to kick your dad. What happens when you make things fun and turn power on its head?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TLDR: Putting your child in the driver\u2019s seat while tackling a teaching moment can make it fun and memorable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Teaching your kid to use a swing shouldn\u2019t be this much fun<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To this day, one thing is certain. If there are swings at the park, at least ONE of my kids is going to ask\u2026 \u201cCan we play \u2018Don\u2019t kick your Dad\u2019!?!\u201d Luckily this isn\u2019t code for inflicting indiscriminate harm on a family member, but a game we play. Let me take you back\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
William was probably two and he loved the swings but kind of like how rulers of old liked to eat grapes. Only interested if someone else was doing all the work. I tried a lot to get him to \u201cpump\u201d is legs forward and backwards countless times but he just wasn\u2019t interested. He was too tired all of the sudden or he just ignored the command. Heck, he was only two, maybe he lacked the understanding to follow my instructions. But, you know what he could do? He sure could laugh when I pretended that I didn\u2019t want to get kicked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I decided to stand in front of him, just out of reach of his outstretched legs so he would try harder and harder every time to kick me. Each time, I\u2019d move JUST a little farther. The result? He learned that if he leaned back and extended his feet, he might get a little closer to kicking dear old Dad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, we could have stopped here and it would have been a breakthrough kind of moment. He learned the lesson that I wanted to teach him and he had a little fun. But why stop when you\u2019re just getting started? We kept the game going. I would dodge side to side. I\u2019d go behind him and he\u2019d tuck his little feet underneath (thus leaning forward and learning to \u201cpump\u201d his legs) and try to hit me again. Finally, I\u2019d set myself up to get kicked and I\u2019d ham it up for all I was worth! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019d never kick your Dad right? I mean, we\u2019re pals aren\u2019t we!?! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!\u201d I did my best Chevy Chase\/Jim Carrey\/three stooges slapstick-over-the-top fall. I took a knee and pretend-heaved and asked for a minute of rest while he giggled himself silly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since then, I\u2019ve learned that if I can find a way to put my kids in the driver\u2019s seat and if I feign inferiority, that they feel empowered and relish an opportunity to showcase their knowledge or physical abilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This works for so many different things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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