Rethinking Bossy

Modeling Flexibility

Modeling flexibility in children can be effectively achieved through play, as Dr. Becky Kennedy suggests. By engaging in role-play scenarios, parents can demonstrate how to navigate conflicts between differing ideas, such as choosing between building an airport or a school with blocks. This approach helps children understand that their ideas remain valuable even if not immediately realized. Dr. Kennedy emphasizes the importance of expressing one's ideas in a way that is considerate of others, stating:

I have a good idea and I know it's good even if I don't do it.

--- Dr. Becky Kennedy

This method encourages children to balance their desires with those of others, fostering a more collaborative mindset 1.

   

Managing Frustration

Helping children manage frustration involves teaching them to tolerate difficult emotions, as Dr. Becky Kennedy explains. Parents can model this by acknowledging their child's feelings and maintaining boundaries, such as when a child insists on having a specific colored water bottle. By validating their emotions without giving in, parents show that these feelings are manageable. Dr. Kennedy notes:

We have to tolerate in our kid the feelings they struggle with before they can learn to tolerate those feelings themselves.

--- Dr. Becky Kennedy

This approach builds a child's capacity for flexibility by demonstrating that they can handle disappointment and frustration 2.