As a mother, it’s the most infuriating thing to deal with when a child doesn’t listen to directions. It’s easy to boil over when you’ve asked for the same thing on repeat and you still aren’t being heard. The thing is, as parents we expect children to listen and obey forgetting that they are their own little people and are often not at fault when they’re ignoring us.

 

Whether your child is openly ignoring you when you speak, or you have said the same instruction and are getting nowhere fast, there are things that you can do when you want to fix it. So, we’ve got five things that you can do when your children are ignoring you – and to help you to not lose your cool when it happens.

 

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  1. Get Rid Of Distractions. When you want the attention of your children, you need to remove the things that are distracting them. If you have a query, take them away from the toys and the TV and ask them something directly. When they’re busy, they can literally switch off their hearing, so removing distraction is the best way to get their attention. Be short and clear about what you want and be firm in your tone, and you should be able to get the message through to them.
  2. Ask Them To Repeat Back. If you have asked your child to pick up their toys, ask them what you would like them to do. They should be able to repeat back to you what you’ve instructed, and if they can’t repeat to you what you asked for, they need to be told again. Your expectations need to be clear if you want them to go ahead and do as you ask, so be patient and be as clear as possible.
  3. Get Their Hearing Checked. Believe it or not, some children aren’t openly not listening, they simply can’t! The right rechargeable hearing aids could be the best option for your child, but until you get them to the audiologist you won’t know. So, if you have concerns about their hearing, get it checked out with a doctor and discuss with them the steps going forward.
  4. Use Consequences. If the doctor checks out and all is fine with their hearing, you need to come up with some consequences if they continue to not listen to you. Always offer a consequence that is natural to not listening to you. So, if you have asked for the toys to be tidy, follow it with letting them know that whatever they do not pick up will be donated to children who would appreciate having toys.
  5. Address The Issue. Children will ignore you from time to time, but you need to make your expectations known. Speak to your children and let them know that you need them to listen to you. It shouldn’t be a situation that is swept away: children will infuriate you and you are an adult. Feel frustrated, but don’t resort to yelling!