Have you ever been listening to a music app when that automated voice comes on and suggests, “watch this video to get 30 minutes of free music”? Have you ever clicked agitatedly on the small fine print which reads no thank you? Well, I have… and guess what happened… it brought me straight to the advertisement’s video anyway. This is what consumer psychologists call forced choice.
As a teacher, I use choices to incentivize my students. Since children learn differently, giving them options for how to express their knowledge is incredibly important. During Language Arts, for example, my students can read out loud or silently. Read to a friend or listen to a friend read. Write a list of the characters or cut out cardboard figurines of them. Retell the story using puppets or draw pictures of what happened. All of these options result in the same goal, which is the comprehension of the story.
Using this same logic, parents can give choices to their children. Why? It instills a sense of autonomy and builds the foundation for future decision making (see Decisions, Decisions, Decisions) An example of this might include getting your child to eat vegetables at dinner by asking, “Do you want broccoli or carrots with your chicken?” If your child responds, “I want fries” just restate the question, “Fries are not a choice. Do you want broccoli or carrots?” For any tough cookies this may be repeated several times followed by, “Do you want to pick, or would you like me to pick for you?” With enough practice, this style of communication will become second nature. It’s a win-win!
You can choose the destination, but let your child determine how to get there ❤
Love and light,
Ms. Jones
For more information, read Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker’s post on the benefits of choice.
Tutor Time Talk 