The Coersion Cycle or How we make kids worse over time.

1. Adult Requests the child to do something in Question Form.

…Child ignores the adult.



2. The Adult uses Verbal Prompts.

…Child will delay and ignore.


3. The adult will resort to small threats and warnings.

…The Child will begin to argue with the adult.


4. The adult will then make larger and larger threats, along with getting louder and louder.
…The child will begin the tantrum along with the arguing and even begin being aggressive.


5. The adult will then withdraw the original request, change the request. Some parents just walk away with a sigh of defeat.
…The child just got what they wanted in the first place, so the tantrum, aggression, and arguing stop.