Validating. Respectful. Covering the just-in-case. Your child is fighting for autonomy right now. Don’t fight back. Let her win one. Let her experience natural consequences. A child allowed to go out in the cold without a coat, who then gets cold and needs said coat, has learned a very valuable lesson that will spare you a fight in the future. If she never experiences this, it will be you she is fighting. Don’t give children your words, give them the experience.
