Why Do They Say No All the Time?

The Psychology of Demand Avoidance

Some children seem to be born saying No.  They say No to the park, no to playing games, no to things which all the other children seem to love. The No comes so fast that it can be bewildering – and yet when you push back on it, it comes back even stronger.   It can feel like life is a minefield of No’s.  Any direction you look in, there’s another No on the horizon.

Parents try so hard in this situation. They coax and plead, persuade and promise ice cream.  When that doesn’t work they start to shout or tell the children off.  Yet everything they do seems to make things worse. They don’t understand what is going on for their child – and no one is happy. 

Some children experience the demands of the world around them as a threat.  They feel pressured by all the requirements and expectations.  The feelings are uncomfortable – and so they act to protect themselves.  With a No.

The No is a shield.  It protects them from uncertainty, from other people’s agendas and waves of unmanageable feelings.  It keeps them safe – but it also stops them from doing things.  The shield can become a cage. 

What can we do about it? That’s what I’m talking about next week in my brand new webinar on the psychology of demand avoidance.  Understand the reasons behind demand avoidance and what is really going on for your child.  Discover why what you’ve been trying doesn’t work – and get some ideas as to what to do instead. 

This is suitable for parents of children with and without a diagnosis.  It’s suitable for parents who might just be starting to wonder whether demand avoidance might be an issue.  Yes it’s recorded.