8 examples of reverse psychology used by parents that actually worked

Trying to reason with a young child is as difficult as it sounds, so sometimes it takes trickery for parents to get them in line.

Reddit user LeanderD asked parents to share examples of reverse psychology that they have tried on their kids that actually worked – and this collection of the best responses might be worth noting down for a rainy day.

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2. From user Georgeisthecoolest

“Not reverse psychology exactly, but when my first son was about 4 he would often burst into our bedroom way too early in the morning, full of energy.

“It was up to me to either get up and engage with him or send him off on some mission so as to grab a few more precious minutes of shut-eye.

“One I’m proud of was telling him to find out which of his legs could run the fastest.

“He was charging around the corridor for ages doing a kind of manic goose-step before he came back in panting that they were both the same.”

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4. From user pedanticProgramer

“Any time a kid gets ‘hurt’ (falls down on grass, gets gently hit in the face with a ball, etc.) instead of stopping the activity to pick the kid up and see if they’re ok you just scoot them off to the side and resume.

“Within 10 seconds of not getting all the attention and seeing the fun is resuming they pop right back up and are magically healed.

“This of course is only for the “injuries” that aren’t actually injuries.”

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6. From user bibbobbins

“‘Can you put your toys away?’ will almost certainly garner a hard NO, but ‘I bet you can’t put all those toys back in the box, no way you’ll be able to’ will have them whizzing round tidying like demons, followed by a very indignant ‘see, I told you I could!’.

“Cue fake surprise from me.

“They’re only 4 and 7, so I know this has got limited time, but so far works like a charm every time.”

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8. From user AppealToReason16

“I don’t so much know if you would call it reverse psychology, but I didn’t realise it until my dad told me this.

“When there were chores that needed doing, he noticed if he asked me to mow the lawn, I would complain and procrastinate. But if he asked would I rather mow the lawn or wash the windows, I’d pick one and just get it done.

“Shattered my brain when he told me when I was in my twenties.”