Treat/talk to your kids like adults, but remember --- they're still kids.

I so agree with you. I grew up with thoses types of remarks said to me. I always gave my girls the reasons for whatever was happenings. Not saying "Because I said so" I hated hearing thoses words. I know when it comes to my oldest granddaughter I can explain the reasons of why I said no or the reason as to why you can't have. She is six years old and wants to know about everything and wants to know why. Yes, and her parents allow her to speak her mind in whatever she is thinking at the time.

After raising three children, I can agree that we should remember that kids are just that but I found they respond best when spoken to on the level which they can best relate. Sometimes that is big people speak and sometimes not. Children are very individualistic and must be treated accordingly to be most effective in bringing them up; patience and flexibility are keys to bringing up great kids.

Hi inky, so very true. Those kind of statements don't do anything beyond frustrate the child. You have to guide your child which is a lot different then dictating to them how to behave. They also have to be allowed to screw up and experience the consequences.

A child should know that the adults rule, but there should be understanding why the adult has ruled as he has. The only lesson learned in, "Because I say so," or "Because I'm older than you," would be how to bully or intimidate.

This is going to sound really funny to a lot of people, but I have to say that this is one of the reasons that I've never been a big advocate of baby talk for very small children. With my children, I've tried to reason with them as much as I can from the time that they were first able to start talking. However, when you do talk to your children like the are adults, there are some times that it is easy to forget that they are children and not adults stuck in a smaller body.

Yes, it's better for kids to understand why their not allowed to do something and the only way for them to know that is for their parents to explain it to them. This makes them think, unlike when you just tell them "because I said so!" their minds shut down and they end up depending on you to decide whether something is right or wrong because he thinks that your'e "the all powerful one who decides what is good or bad".

The roommate's nephew and niece-in-law are doing that. No, they can't explain too much to the 20 month old, but they can a bit more to the 4 and a half year old. There is no "I said so"s, they explain that talking back is wrong, taking things that aren't theirs, hitting, etc are wrong. I've been very impressed with their parenting, because the nephew had a LOUSY example in his "womb-donor".

I think that communication is very important in a child/parent situation. If you don't have that you are lost. In early childhood if a child is taught right from wrong, what is appropriate and what isn't then there is alot of room to communicate to them later on. If they aren't taught these things early on this there is going to be problems. And I can understand that at times it all becomes redundant and the child starts their games and then "because I said so!" or "because I am older than you" becomes about all there is left to say. I think "because I am the parent and I said so" is a good one too. lol

i toldy agree with you i talk to my son like an adult and i explain things to him but there are still times that you get so frustrated with them that you need to walk away or just send them to there rooms for a few mins

I have always tsljed to my kids in a mature way even at a young age. I nevet "baby talk" yo thrm. i sm a kind of mom that would really gi iut of my way to explain things to thrm snd nit just scold them when they have done something wrong. i want my kids to gtow up in a mannet that they think hatd of things that they will decide on.

I agree I don't know why parents do crap like that with their kids. How are they meant to learn anything when the parents don't even give an explanation as to what they may have done wrong

It is better to hear and listen to children. Being strict can cause traumas to children, but we need to set boundaries and not go beyond borders.