Parents Who Reversed The Script On Their Children—And It Worked
Pretty much any time that someone talks about reverse psychology, everyone around them is going to say that they would never fall for something like that. It may be true, or it may not be.
Someone who can definitely fall for a little reverse psychology, though? Your children. You can flip the script on them and all of a sudden they're eager to show you just how fast they can eat their vegetables.
A Little Healthy Competition
"My dad used to play a game to see who could match and fold the most laundry. He never once won." —stonerplumber / Reddit
It's almost like his dad didn't want to win. Fancy that!
If Dad Doesn't Want To Share His Broccoli, It Must Be Something Good
"My wife used to tell the kids that I didn't want them to try new things because I didn't want to share it with them. Sometimes they'd like it and I'd make a big deal out of it about having to share with them.
"Sometimes they'd say, 'This one is all yours, Dad.' You win some, you lose some, but at least they would typically try things this way." —D_Man_GR / Reddit
You Sure Fooled Him
"When I was a kid I refused to get up in the morning. My mom said we were going to trick my dad into thinking I was still asleep. So she made me put on clothes and then hide under the covers and pretend to be asleep.
"Then my dad would come in to wake me up and I would 'fool"'him because I was already dressed and ready. —mfiggfi /Reddit
How Nice Of The Doctor To Split It Up!
"We get to the doctor's office and a nurse subtly lets me know that my son is not just scheduled for 1 shot, but 5 of them in the same visit.
"I turn to my son with an exaggerated smile and tell him, 'Good news! They figured out how to take that one big shot you were going to get and instead break it up into these five little tiny shots so it won't hurt nearly as much!'
"He took the first shot and even smiled and said 'It's true! The small ones don't hurt!'" —blackbird77 / Reddit
Robots > Soccer Practice
"'No, you cannot take this after-school science extracurricular activity. They have robots, lasers, explosions, and other dangerous stuff like that.'" —ManOfLaBook / Reddit
Why would he want to stay at home playing video games when he could play with robots?
What A Distraction Technique
"We were in line at the grocery store checking out. Kid was three, and the meltdown started, and quickly became an on-the-floor tantrum.
"I looked down and said, louder than normal, but not yelling, 'Where is your mother? We need to find your mom!'
"She was startled, because I am her mom, and confused. But the tantrum ended quickly, and with hugs." —stephlj / Reddit
I Guess The Kids Can Have Some Grown-Up Food...
"My mum had a friend that would put vegetables on her own plate and not the kids'.
"When the kids asked, she would be reluctant to share. 'That's grown-up food. But I suppose I can let you have a little.' Her kids grew up loving vegetables." —laik72 / Reddit
That's Quite The Punishment
"One of my best friends through childhood used to be punished with no salad if she misbehaved. She cherishes salad now and would always try to eat as much as possible during school lunch.
"Coincidentally, her now-husband used to be punished with no books, it had the same effect." —cookiearthquake / Reddit
Ignore Their Injury And It'll Disappear
"Any time a kid gets 'hurt' (falls down on grass, gets gently hit in the face with a ball, etc.), instead of stopping the activity to pick the kid up and see if they're ok, you just scoot them off to the side and resume.
"Within 10 seconds of not getting all the attention and seeing the fun is resuming, they pop right back up and are magically healed." —pedanticProgram / Reddit
"Safe To Say I Was Bamboozled"
"There was a forbidden book that I was not allowed to read on the shelf. My parents said I could only read it if I behave myself.
"It was summer holidays and I was playing games all day (after six hours of summer homework). One day I was home alone and had the opportunity to grab it. I read like half of it in one go. It was 5000 years of Chinese history.
"Safe to say I was bamboozled." —oddstodd / Reddit
You've Gotta Challenge Them
"'I bet you can't...' Both of them HATE the assertion that they're not capable of doing something.
"'Can you put your toys away?' will almost certainly garner a hard NO, but 'I bet you can't put all those toys back in the box, no way you'll be able to' will have them whizzing 'round tidying like demons, followed by a very indignant 'see, I told you I could!' Cue fake surprise from me.
"They're only four and seven, so I know this has got limited time, but so far works like a charm every time." —bibbobbins / Reddit
No Respect For The Queen
"My parents always told me broccoli were the flowers of the queen and that I really shouldn't eat them, or else the queen would get very upset!
"I, of course, ate the whole broccoli in a few seconds." —Subwoofy / Reddit
In The Case Of An Emergency Though, You Can Yell
"I taught my kids when they were toddlers that no amount of yelling, shaking, or hitting can wake a sleeping adult.
"The only thing that works is a gentle hug and/or a nice kiss on the cheek." —DrMethusael / Reddit
Whatever Works!
"My mum would always yell at us 'if you don't do X, you have to go to bed without socks!'
"I never wore socks anyway, and I'm ashamed to admit that this worked." —Reddit
That's How You Get Their Little Butts Movin'
"The old tried and true, 'Bye, I'll see you later!' as you pretend to leave the house whenever they refuse to put their shoes on works like a charm.
"My two-year-old that was just hiding behind the recliner comes a-runnin' when she hears that phrase. The seven-year-old has tried to call the bluff, but I just bluffed my way out to the car before she came running outside.
"'You really were going to leave me?!'
"'Guess not, maybe next time.'" —openletter8 / Reddit
