{"id":1649,"date":"2014-01-21T14:58:04","date_gmt":"2014-01-21T19:58:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.positivelyparenting.com\/?p=1649"},"modified":"2015-12-04T12:48:52","modified_gmt":"2015-12-04T17:48:52","slug":"whats-the-worst-that-could-happen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/parenting\/whats-the-worst-that-could-happen\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s the Worst That Could Happen?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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One of the guiding principles I use in my parenting is called: \u00a0<\/b><\/h1>\n

<\/h1>\n

“What is the worst that could happen?”<\/b><\/span><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is not revolutionary or complicated thinking. \u00a0 It is not a way of strictly adhering to a certain type of thinking. \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

I recognized early on in my parenting that you cannot say “yes” to everything, nor can you say “no” to everything. \u00a0But it is confusing, because the parenting experts seemed to have an answer for everything<\/em>. \u00a0Any given scenario has a prescribed answer<\/em>\u2026but is it really that easy? \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

NEVER give a treat before dinner? \u00a0NEVER give a lollipop so you can get through the grocery store? \u00a0AWAYS adhere to the bedtime? \u00a0ALWAYS make a child hold your hand when walking? \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

So how does a parent stay reasonable and sane?\u00a0<\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I use a scale, and this scale is forever changing based on my children and how they are developing.<\/p>\n

And even though the scale changes, practicing this thinking for years has become a habit, and it is now fairly automatic. \u00a0It helps me with almost every parenting decision, from the big to the small.<\/p>\n

Here’s how it works:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

At the lowest level in any given situation, the\u00a0worst possible scenario is death.<\/b><\/p>\n

Morbid? \u00a0Of course, but that is how I roll.<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, already knowing that death is lurking everywhere, I have to move up to “serious injury or maiming.”<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

What is the worst that will happen if I\u00a0don’t pick up this two year old in the parking lot?<\/i><\/p>\n

Serious injury or maiming.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

So, I pick up the child. \u00a0Screaming and yelling and kicking ensue, but so be it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After serious injury, we move into some muddy waters.<\/p>\n

So, one of the items on the scale is: \u00a0I am allowing a moral or value boundary to be moved, and thus render it insignificant?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

What is the worst that will happen if I turn my head when I witness my six year old tease a friend?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I am breaking a value of showing others kindness.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Is an extra cookie, while on vacation, breaking a value or moral boundary? \u00a0No. \u00a0For me, the worst that will happen is\u2026well, nothing. \u00a0It is a cookie.<\/p>\n

Another item on the scale is: \u00a0Is this occurrence going to undermine my boundary or routine? \u00a0How badly?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

For instance, the children beg to stay up later on a school night. \u00a0They want to watch one more Phineas and Ferb. \u00a0On the surface, this is not a crisis. \u00a0Yet my instinct tells me that, well, the worst that will happen is that they will be tired and that they will want to start to do this every night!<\/p>\n

So, no. \u00a0The TV goes off.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If it’s a Friday night, an extra show does not undermine my routine.<\/p>\n

If they are on vacation, it is does not undermine my routine. \u00a0If they are vacation, and we need to be at the airport at 6 AM, then it does undermine my routine. \u00a0You see?<\/p>\n

Asking yourself,\u00a0“what is the worst that could happen?”<\/b> is a way to tap into your instincts, keep your role as an authority figure, maintain flexibility, and…the best of all?<\/p>\n

Asking\u00a0“What is the worst that could happen?” <\/b>can start to bypass those pesky worries and fears<\/strong> that keep your thinking too rigid or too flimsy.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For instance, if you have trouble keeping rules, you could ask, “What is the worst that\u00a0could happen if I give my child this i-phone and don’t monitor it?” \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Well, this could get bad. \u00a0From over-texting to total distraction from homework, this question will snap you to attention that\u00a0yes! \u00a0You need to monitor the phone use!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Also, what about “What is the worst that will happen if I don’t make this screaming five year old\u00a0another dinner?” \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Your fears might spring up and say, “Oh God, he will never stop screaming\u2026” \u00a0But the worst? \u00a0It is really just yelling and not eating. \u00a0That is not death. \u00a0That is not maiming. \u00a0That is not even a moral boundary. \u00a0It’s just annoying.<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, try it out. \u00a0Put some of your parenting worries and quandaries to the test.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Speaking of this, What is the worst that could happen if you try my new online coaching class? \u00a0CLICK HERE<\/a> for more info and since you read ALL the way to end of this crazy post, you get a promo code. \u00a0Go to the bottom of the sales page and type in\u00a0MONAMI\u00a0for 20% off the class<\/a>! \u00a0Huge savings!<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

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 <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the guiding principles I use in my parenting is called: \u00a0 “What is the worst that could happen?”   This is not revolutionary or complicated thinking. \u00a0 It is not a way of strictly adhering to a certain type of thinking. \u00a0 I recognized early on in my parenting that you cannot say “yes” to everything, nor can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-parenting"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat's the Worst That Could Happen? - Meghan Leahy Parent Coach<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/parenting\/whats-the-worst-that-could-happen\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What's the Worst That Could Happen? - Meghan Leahy Parent Coach\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"One of the guiding principles I use in my parenting is called: \u00a0 “What is the worst that could happen?”   This is not revolutionary or complicated thinking. \u00a0 It is not a way of strictly adhering to a certain type of thinking. \u00a0 I recognized early on in my parenting that you cannot say “yes” to everything, nor can [...]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/parenting\/whats-the-worst-that-could-happen\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Meghan Leahy Parent Coach\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-01-21T19:58:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2015-12-04T17:48:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Meghan Leahy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Meghan Leahy\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/parenting\/whats-the-worst-that-could-happen\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/parenting\/whats-the-worst-that-could-happen\/\",\"name\":\"What's the Worst That Could Happen? - Meghan Leahy Parent Coach\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2014-01-21T19:58:04+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-12-04T17:48:52+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/#\/schema\/person\/74ff7f6e6196b92bb9881fbaff25225d\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/parenting\/whats-the-worst-that-could-happen\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/parenting\/whats-the-worst-that-could-happen\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/parenting\/whats-the-worst-that-could-happen\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What’s the Worst That Could Happen?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mlparentcoach.com\/new\/\",\"name\":\"Meghan Leahy Parent Coach\",\"description\":\"Helping parents. 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