How do I make my preschooler take medicine and teach about consent at the same time?
Hey Amy!
I am concerned about modeling consent when my son does not want to take medicine. He is three and is currently battling a cough and fever. When we try to get him to take medicine (chewable Tylenol and honey) he throws a fit and says “I don’t like it”. My spouse and I persist and eventually get him to take the medicine.
Last night, after a particularly grueling experience at 2:30 in the morning, I started to get concerned about consent. Even though he says “I don’t like it” and is very clear about why and that it’s not what he wants, we basically force him to do it anyway.
How can we encourage healthy things (like taking medicine), while still honoring what he wants/feels/needs? Thank you!
~ Mama of a Sick Boy
Making a child take medicine and teaching consent can happen at the same time!
Hi Mama of a Sick Boy!
I love that you are thinking about how you model and teach consent to your boy! Sometimes, as parents, we have to force our kids to do stuff they don’t want to do because it really, and truly is for their own good. So, don’t sweat it. He’s three! You are not setting him up to be molested.
I’d bribe him. Seriously.
“Take your meds and you can have 8 million gummy worms!!” Well, maybe not 8 million. This shouldn’t be part of your regular parenting repertoire, but saved for emergencies like 2:30 AM meds. And since you probably went right to “but his teeth will rot out of his head” – they won’t. This is short term, emergency bribery.
To teach your child consent, in regular life, practice asking for permission before you touch him and then respect his “no”. This is the building block for teaching sexual consent. Also, read It’s MY Body with him – it’s a great book. Dated. But great.
It’s wonderful that you are so thoughtful and conscious of this when he’s so young. I wish more parents were.
You’ve got this!
~ Amy
