Aspire and Inspire : Do It Yourself, Hire Someone Else To Do It, Forbid Your Child To Do It

This direct, consequential, practical application of cognitive and behavioral principles is a straightforward approach that encourages learning of and collaboration with your child concerning obedience expectations . Paradoxical intention-forbidding your child to do something in hopes that he or she will do it-is an indirect, meager, last-resort effort to motivate your child when all else fails. The precise teaching factor is abandoned in favor of such a deceptive approach. Rather than forbidding your child to forsake the forbid­ den fruit and scolding him unendingly when he doesn't, your chances of success may be much greater if instead you aspire to inspire him by explaining the principles of negative and positive reinforcement that will be applied according to whether he toes the mark or not.