Have you noticed when you ask a teenager to do something that they always have to do something else first, like finish/save a game, go to the toilet or just send an important BBM.
Well here's why, according to my kids. It's what I do.
Whenever they ask a question or want something I usually reply 'what now?' or 'now, in a minute' I have to fund the remote to mute the TV so I can hear them, or go to the stairs to hear them repeat again.
I've explained a million times that when I'm in the middle of something it's cooking their tea or washing and ironing their clothes, not just doing something for myself.
In regards to having to go to them when they call there is a rule that I know enforce. There is one of me and two of them, if they want something, they must come to me, not yell and shout and expect me to respond.
But the biggest battle/hurdle I've over come is the asking them if they want something or to do something.
You see they will inevitably say 'no thanks' or request something we haven't got when I ask want they want for tea.
So, it's now 'you can either come shopping or do your homework' and not 'are you going to do your homework?' and 'would you like pizza or lasagne for tea?'
This way I'm not fighting a losing battle and the kids don't lose respect for me.
There's no point giving my teenagers an option if I'm not going to allow them to follow through with their choice.
At the end of the day their homework needs doing so why ask them? And there's no point telling them, so make it their choice to do it or whatever it is that needs doing, that way one can issue consequences without losing face and entering into a full scale battle.
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