Being a parent isn't just a battle, it's an all-out war being fought on multiple fronts at all hours of the day and night. Some days, all you can hope for is to make it through to tomorrow.
But now, thanks to some truly honest and empathetic parents, there may yet be a better way. Have a look as parents begin sharing the reverse psychology tricks that will 100% work on your kids.
Reddit user -eDgAR- says the best way to get some alone time is to tell your children you're going upstairs to take a nap. Tell them they can watch TV but if they wake you up — then they'll have to go outside and do yardwork.
"My son was really impulsive when he was little and would try to run away from me when we would be crossing streets instead of holding my hand. So I started to tell him that he needed to hold my hand so nobody would try to steal me. It worked." - Reddit u/TimelyKaleidoscope
Growing up, Saleh Stevens' father used to tell him that brushing his teeth helped him sleep better. 13 years later, Saleh was feeling anxious the night before a big exam and went to brush his teeth to relax. It was at that moment he realized his father had outsmarted him.
"When she does it I say "Show me how you don't know." and she climbs few steps to show me how she can't. We repeat that until she's upstairs. "How come you climbed it all if you don't know how?" i ask afterwards." - Reddit u/Marcu3s
Reddit user munchkickin told their child that the oil spots on the road were actually the remains of children who were run over by cars after not looking both ways crossing the road.
It's grim but it works.
"When my older son was 4, he was repeatedly biting other kids at preschool. Until one day I told him: "This is a non-biting school. If you keep biting, we'll have to take you to a biting school. Everyone bites there, even the teachers." - Quora/Anna Vinogradova
Redditor aza9999 says that their mother used to tell them eating spinach would make them strong — like Popeye the Sailor. It worked so well they actually believed they were able to move their house.
"My mum told me that it was written on my tongue if I was lying. So of course if I wasn't telling the truth & she said "show me your tongue" there was no way I would open my mouth. It worked so well that I used it on my own children." - Quora/Joanna Taylor
Instead, try telling your children that what they're actually doing is fighting the crimes of dust and grime! They'll be regular dirt devils in no time — I can guarantee it.
"When she was small, I told my daughter that when she lied a red spot would appear on the middle of her forehead. I knew for sure it worked when she did indeed lie and then her hand went up to cover her forehead." - Reddit u/OwlPoop
I would caution using this trick at all costs. Sure, it's possible that your child could become so sick of playing Minecraft that they decide to play outside of their own volition — but I wouldn't count on it.
"My mum used to tell me that my future husband will look like the leftovers on my plate. So I always finished every grain of rice and every bit of sauce on my plate, because I wanted my husband to look handsome and spotless." - Quora/Selene Chew
What little girl doesn't grow up wanting a pony at some point in her life? The way that Redditor playswithf1re was able to get around it was by telling her daughter that horses ate money and that they wouldn't be able to properly feed it.
"I told my son that I was allergic to whining. Any time he started whining I did a bunch of fake sneezing and he would apologize immediately and stop being whiney! It worked for most of elementary school!" - Reddit u/Merry_Pippins
A family friend of Redditor laik72 used to tell her kids that vegetables were grown-up food. The plates had hardly touched the table when her little ones began screaming that they too wanted to eat grown-up food.
