User:Speak and Inspire Review
It's your responsibility to keep your child safe and healthy. Speak and Inspire Keep food choices healthy, and allow your child to choose what to eat. If your kid chooses to eat only cookies and ice cream, stop having them as a choice. When a child is making choices about her/his behaviour, you can point out the choice and the consequences of it. "John, I notice you have chosen to play Nintendo before dinner instead of doing your homework. I hope you are aware that you have chosen to stay home and finish your homework tonight instead of going to the movies with your friend Jeremy."
Older children can use choices to learn how to prioritize. You can say, "Your laundry needs to be in the hamper, the dog needs a walk, and your book report is due tomorrow. You can choose how you arrange to get it all done." (You might add, "If you would like some help organizing your time, I'll be happy to take a couple of minutes with you at any point this evening.") Once a choice has been made, be clear as to when it becomes final. ("The special price on those discount tickets expires at midnight, so we need to be prepared to buy before bedtime.")
Which brings us to the question, What if your child doesn't like her choice? That can be hard for a wimpy parent to watch. It can even be hard for a strong, reasonable parent to watch. Nobody enjoys watching a child be disappointed. But making a choice means learning to live with the choice that's been made. Don't "rescue" your child from her experiences; it may make her feel better in the long run, but it ultimately won't teach her anything at all. Disappointment is a good teaching tool, and discipline is teaching.