The Daily Groove.

THE DAILY GROOVE ~ by Scott Noelle
www.enjoyparenting.com/dailygroove


:: WordWatch: "Because" ::
Today, look out for the word "because" in your prose.
Notice that the word is almost always followed by an
explanation, justification or reason that subtly
assigns power to some external condition.
For example, suppose you decide to leave the park and
your child asks, "Why do we have to go?" If you
answer, "Because it's time to get ready for dinner,"
then you're essentially saying that the event called
dinner (or time itself) somehow has power over your
lives.
A truer, more empowering response would be, "We don't
'have to' go... I'm *choosing* to go." In other words,
*you* are the cause... not the clock.
Parents unconsciously avoid such empowering statements
for fear that it will lead to a power *struggle*. But
you have a choice about that, too. You can choose to
express power *with* (rather than *over*) your child.
With a little creativity, you can "be Cause" together.
http://dailygroove.net/because