When giving a command, describe the behavior that you want to see.
It is common for a parent to tell their child things like “Get ready for school,” “Do your chores.” or “Be good.” Instead, try being more specific: “Brush your teeth.” “Put on your shoes,” “Feed the dog” or “Follow the rules of the game.” This ensures that your child knows what you expect. Positive statements are more likely than negative statements to produce the results that a parent would like to see: “Please walk” is more effective than “Don’t run.”