How to parent more predictably (2018)

While with adults we understand that when a person says they’ll do something they mean they’ll put in a reasonable effort and may fail if the task is surprisingly difficult or if factors outside their control intervene, I find that with kids being explicit about likely failure possibilities is helpful. Similarly, adults understand that you don’t have authority over everyone around you, but with kids phrasing like “Mama can read to you when we get home” isn’t as good as “I’ll ask Mama if she’ll read to you when we get home.” The better you get at the two skills above the easier this is: you’re saying fewer things that need to be backed up, the consequences you’ve promised are ones that generally seem fair, and your kids generally understand the patterns and choose to avoid the consequences.

Source: www.jefftk.com