Colman Noctor: Is your child unwilling or unable to do what you ask?

We tend to label children as ‘badly behaved’ or unwilling based on how much control we believe they have over their actions

Pic: iStock

ONE of the most important skills you can develop as a parent is deciphering if your child is ‘unwilling’ or ‘unable’ to do what you ask. Knowing the difference allows you to establish if their reluctance to comply is a form of wilful acting out that requires discipline and sanction or an expression of an unmet need that requires support and understanding.

It sounds simple, doesn’t it?