This sends a powerful message that you mean what you say, and you don't have to stay there for very long, just a minute or two. While you wait, praise each step in the right direction; no matter how small it seems. Chatting and lecturing your child never seems to work, try giving them positive feedback instead. In addition to praising, be a good listener yourself. This will show them that you understand that they may not want to move on to another activity. When they see you doing these things yourself, they will be more likely to imitate these actions. Another helpful tip for getting your child to listen is to not get distracted until your child has cooperated. If your child storms out, don't follow him, you don't want him to think he's bossing around. Go about your business and wait for them to come out. They'll start talking about something else and you'll say, "I'd be happy to talk about it after you do what I told you." » Don't get angry while you wait. This will only cause you to scream and your child to tune you out. Try to leave the room to calm down and come back into the room when you do. I believe these methods to improve children's listening skills will help many families who have difficulty convincing their children to do things. These are effective skills that have actually worked with other families. I think when I'm older and have my own family, I'll use these