TEN WAYS TO SAY NO

  1. No, right now I am busy.
  2. No, I have other plans.
  3. No, but maybe some other time.
  4. No, right now I am doing something else.
  5. No, this is what we are going to do.
  6. No, right now I want you to…
  7. No, but let’s do this instead…
  8. No, right now it is time to…
  9. No, the plan is to…
  10. No, right now I need to take a little alone time.

Besides giving children an opportunity to grow in their negotiation skills by giving clear “no” messages, children learn how to say no in their lives as well. Parents must not get upset with a child for asking for more. Permission to want more means the opportunity to ask. When parents clearly remember that they are not required to say yes, they can say no without feeling guilty. Besides making sure to take care of their own needs, parents who can say no comfortably provide a significant role model for their children. If a child continues to challenge a “no” message, all the parent has to do is simply say, “End of negotiation.”