How to manipulate your parents in 8 easy ways

Kids, I’m going to let you in on a powerful secret that could change your life:

Your parents don’t enjoy yelling at you. It’s true! In fact, they are programmed to love the shit out of you. More than that, they actually want to cuddle and kiss you and play fun games and they secretly want to spoil you rotten. Believe it!

However, most kids aren’t reaping the rewards of this natural source of joy and happiness because you’re being, as they call it, “turds”. You are not alone, this is an affliction that affects 99% of the youth population.

But you can change! A small tweak here and there and you will CASH IN on your parents’ love. They are SO easily manipulated.

Let me show you the ways.

1. Listen

A major source of household disharmony is a failure to listen.

I will repeat this because you probably didn’t hear it the first time: THEY WANT YOU TO LISTEN. IT REALLY SHITS THEM WHEN YOU DON’T. When you force your mum to say things like, “I won’t ask you again”, it makes her sound like her own mum and that will make her question her very existence.

At times, when you’re busy doing something or you’re just not interested in what they’re saying, you might be tempted to ignore their very existence. Studies have shown that most parents are happy to request something twice: but when you force them to ask you a third time, the risk of raised voices, veiled threats and loss of screen privileges rises 450%. A fourth or fifth request is dangerous territory indeed.

Manipulation tool:

A simple fix for this problem is just to listen but perhaps you want to start small (we don’t want to put your system into toxic shock) by trying to do what has been asked by the second request. When you feel you’ve built up a tolerance, try doing it the FIRST time you’re asked and watch the JOY fill your parent’s face. This is their Holy Grail and don’t you want to make them happy? Doing this consistently will bring you treasures you’ve only dreamed of. Try it today.

Note: While it may seem their requests are arbitrary and vindictive, they are usually trying to keep you safe, tell you something important or get you in the car to go to an activity YOU will enjoy. So, you know, they’re not bossing you around for their own amusement. Just bloody listen.

2. Ask nicely.

While there’s no doubt screaming, whinging and whining is an effective method for achieving your goals by wearing down your parents’ will to live, there is another option:

Manipulation tool:

Try asking nicely. Try using a normal voice. Perhaps try doing it at a conversational volume.

This is often just as effective as whining and screaming and it doesn’t come with a side serving of parental bitterness, clenched teeth and obscenities. Harmony and fulfilment comes when the thing you want is handed to you with love, not pegged at you with frustration.

Expert tip:It’s possible your parents won’t be paying full attention when you first ask because, let’s be honest, you talk ALL THE TIME and just between you and me it’s not always … um… new and/or interesting information. Sorry.

So a good method is to place your request politely and wait at least 2 minutes before asking again. It’s possible they are just about to do what you want but they’re busy with something important right now, like doing a poo.

3. Independent play

It is a common belief that parents buy toys out of the goodness of their hearts. The truth is, they buy them in the hopes it will entertain you for at least four minutes so they can achieve something other than looking at you.

Manipulation tool:

Try some independent play if you’d like to receive MORE toys because when a parent sees a cool toy at the shops they know you’d adore, they might just put it back on the shelf if they know they’re going to end up having to play with it.

4. Pick up your shit

Parents do love it when you play with your toys. What turns them into The Bride from Kill Bill is watching every corner of your beloved home turn into a tip for your shit. The more shit they see lying around the house, the more likely they’ll tell all your grandparents to never buy you another thing ever again and that, my friends, would be a disaster. You don’t want the grandparent well to dry up.

Try picking your shit up and putting it back where you found it. If that sounds like a familiar request, it’s possible your parents have already asked you to do this 7 trillion times but you weren’t listening (see point 1). The more floor space you can see, the more leeway your parents will give Nanny and Papa to buy more shit.

5. Share

The good news is: your parents love you more than anything in the world.

The bad news is: they also love your brothers and/or sisters the SAME amount.

Shocking but true. This is the reason they can go from sweet and loving to feral banshee in three seconds flat – the bitching between you and your siblings as you fight over utter bullshit.

Manipulation tool:

There is one technique that will solve all your problems: If your brother or sister is playing with something. Try playing with one of the 7200 other toys you have. They call it sharing, we’ll call it self preservation. The reduction in bickering is scientifically proven to improve your parents’ mood and consequently the bounty of love, affection and compliance with your demands.

6. Wait

If your mother or father is sitting on the toilet/ cooking dinner/ driving the car, they can’t watch what you’re doing right now. Sometimes your needs come second. Deal with it.

Manipulation tool:

Try repeating this sentence “Mum, when you’ve finished your poo, can you please…”

Note: If you ask us to look at something and our eyes look in that direction, it means we are looking at it. You don’t need a verbal confirmation. We are looking. Please stop asking.

7. Behave in public

Mummies and daddies have a pretty hard time dealing with the judgement of old biddies at the shops. When you’re screaming and throwing shit around, your mummy or daddy is not only trying to calm you down, they’re also trying to act like a good parent for all the eyes on them. It’s super stressful and could lead to harsher than normal repercussions and threats to leave you locked in the car next time.

So try playing a fun game where you don’t scream and throw shit. We can call it “acting like an angel” and the best actor is likely to win a prize. Because, my little mates, the secret to getting that lolly at the checkout? Is by being perfect for the 20minutes of shopping beforehand. IT’S TRUE! This is the hidden lolly trigger. Reward level unlocked!

Note: It’s possible your parent will set an extra bonus-level challenge, ‘saying no to the lolly request’. The secret here is: don’t lose your shit when they say no to the lolly. I know, I know, it’s a super tough one, but here’s the thing; if you ask and they say no and you don’t lose your shit – you’re going to hit the leader board my friend. And the rewards will come in spades the next time you’re at the shops. It’s the long game, but it pays off. Patience grasshopper.

8. Eat or sleep

Funny thing about eating and sleeping, it’s not a tool your parents are using to control you; it’s simply something you need to do to survive.

Manipulation tool:

Try agreeing to survive. It’s a lot less stress for everyone.

Expert tip:

This might be controversial, but if you really want life to go your way: maybe don’t do both. At least not consistently.

The truth is, it doesn’t work in your favour to be completely compliant in all areas of life. If you’re too well behaved and ‘easy’, your parents will no longer be impressed by your behaviour and will come to expect it as standard. And that’s where the praise and rewards start to dry up.

So while eating and sleeping would be the two biggest issues for most parents of young children, I suggest you alternate between the two, just to keep them on their toes.

Definitely give them some nights of unbroken sleep each week. This is crucial for the survival of your entire family. Don’t mess around with this one too much or the whole thing could unravel.

Also important to note is that sleeping is not just a time for your body to recharge, it’s also when your mum and dad’s love for you recharges. When you are lying there, blissfully asleep, their love grows so big it bursts out of their chest and starts throwing cool stuff in online shopping carts. This is a scientific fact.

On your non-sleeping days, make sure you eat. It will soothe the stress of the sleep deprivation if they don’t need to worry about you fading into nothing. Just put some food in your mouth and swallow it. You technically need to do this to stay alive so it’s kind of a win-win anyway.

If you have any tips, just add them below. Thinking we could provide booklets to all kids when they leave the hospital. Kind of a “How to be a child” guide. 

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