Do you wish you had Ben Kenobi’s hand-waving powers? Do you wish your kids were as susceptible to suggestion as Storm Troopers were?
Do you wish you could actually threaten them with a Force choke?
Sadly, we can only be Jedis if we have the costume and lightsaber to show for it. But here are some mind tricks you can do on your kids, no prior experience with the Force needed:
Gamify everything
You can turn chores, grocery trips and even social functions into games for your kids. You can give your kids ladderized rewards for good behaviour. The better they behave or the more they do their chores, the bigger the rewards. Put up a bulletin board tracking everyone’s progress.
Offer a bad choice
While the Matrix movies would say choice is an illusion, Star Wars has the distinction of the Light and Dark side of the Force to motivate its Jedis. What you can offer your children, on the other hand, is a choice between something they don’t want and something worse. If your kids don’t want to drink the medicine, offer a choice between one dose and two doses.
Use technology against them
Kids are growing up dependent on the internet and their smartphones. While these are very convenient, they really aren’t essential (since we lived without them half our lives anyway). Threaten them with revoked Wi-Fi and gadget privileges if they behave badly.
Save your soda cans and juice packs
Hand them a soda can filled with a healthy drink instead of the fizzy liquid they expect. While this may make them wary of anything you give them, the look of horror on their faces may be worth all the trouble.
Threaten to embarrass them
Nothing strikes fear in your kids’ hearts (especially slightly older ones) more than an embarrassing episode with you in front of their peers. If you’re willing to sacrifice a little dignity and poise so your kid follows you, then go ahead. Break out the dad jokes, blab about every embarrassing childhood story and dote excessively on your kids in front of their friends.
Gross them out with PDA
Do you remember how grossed out you were when you knew your parents were being romantic with each other? Now it’s your turn to threaten your kids with makeout sessions in their faces if they don’t behave!
Remember, parents, tricking your kids isn’t really bad—especially if it’s for their own good.
Read: 7 of the most controversial parenting methods
Do you have other mind tricks you can share with us, parents? Add them in the comments!
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