Brace yourself Mom and Dad, it's science to your rescue! Those lab coat wearing smarty pantses from Stanford, the University of Washington, and the University of California in San Diego, did a study with 150 children aged three to six, to determine how they responded to requests for help using differing approaches.

When they directly asked for  assistance from these little nippers, there was substantial resistance. However when they used the word "helper", as in--"Would you like to be my helper today? or "Would you like to be Mommy's/Daddy's little helper?" They were highly inclined to accomodate the couched request.

The researchers said, quote, "When you use the noun 'helper', [it's] a description that points to a child's basic character and identity, [so] they're more motivated to prove that it's true."

Unless a child's basic character and identity is similar to an axe murderer or a pit bull on acid. Then I would assume the simple use of the word 'helper' won't do you much good. I would also assume that a parent needs to start using this technique when their children are very young or it will be a forgone conclusion that the only words that may, I repeat, may- motivate them are 'money' or 'free beer'!

 

More From KKRC-FM / 97.3 KKRC