This article was co-authored by Moshe Ratson, MFT, PCC. Moshe Ratson is the Executive Director of spiral2grow Marriage & Family Therapy, a coaching and therapy clinic in New York City. Moshe is an International Coach Federation accredited Professional Certified Coach (PCC). He received his MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Iona College. Moshe is a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF).
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Do you see those Xbox Gaming Consoles on the Internet and desperately want one? While asking for an Xbox is a big request, and it can be hard to get your parents to budge, this article will give you some tips to make it more likely for your parents to say yes.
Steps
Doing Chores
Do your chores without them asking. This will please them incredibly, especially if you are the type who moans a lot about doing chores. You might want to consider doing extra chores.
Do some extra work. Try cleaning the house or helping siblings with their chores.
Look up the cost for an Xbox. Try looking it up on sites like webuy.com. This will help you determine whether you might be able to pay for it yourself, and if not, whether it is still a reasonable enough price that your parents might say yes.
Start a business. If you promised to pay for the Xbox yourself, you will now have to earn money. The best way to do so is to start a business. You could open a lemonade stand, a phone repair shop, or anything at all.Advertisement
Asking Your Parents
Ask when your parents are in a good mood. You don't want to ask them when they are cross or busy. Instead, try asking them after dinner when you know they have had a good day.
Ask if you can have a chat. Say something like, "Hey, I have something important to ask you about. Could we have a chat?"
Do not beg. Instead, say something more mature, like, "Dad/Mom, I know this is a big thing to ask for, but I was wondering. Could I have an Xbox?"
Explain why you want one. Be sure to list the reasons that will convince them to buy you one, and not the ones that will do the opposite.- Don't mention that all of your friends have one. It is extremely likely that they will say, "Well, who said you have to be like them?"
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Making Promises
Make them inclined to buy you one. Tell that they can use Parental Controls to restrict online gameplay and set time limits. Also, promise not to play games that could be deemed inappropriate for your age, such as Grand Theft Auto or the Halo games without permission.- If you are only slightly under the age rating for a certain game, you may be able to get your parents to buy it for you.
- If you are willing to do so, you can further convince them to buy you one by saying that you will pay for it yourself.
If you suggest a time limit, do not go over it.
If they are worried about siblings feeling jealous, tell them you will share it with them.Advertisement
Making Time Limits
Expert Q&A
- QuestionWhat's your advice for asking for something if your parents are always saying no?
Moshe Ratson, MFT, PCCMoshe Ratson is the Executive Director of spiral2grow Marriage & Family Therapy, a coaching and therapy clinic in New York City. Moshe is an International Coach Federation accredited Professional Certified Coach (PCC). He received his MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Iona College. Moshe is a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF).
Marriage & Family TherapistTry to understand why they said no, you’ll get an honest answer. If you can understand where they're coming from, you can address that point and tell them that you understand them. In due time, they will start to trust you more.
Tips
- Promise to share the Xbox with your siblings if you have any
- Suggest getting games they might like as well
Warnings
- Never beg. It will likely make your parents less likely to get you the Xbox.Thanks
- Don't break the promises you make.Thanks
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about convincing your parents, check out our in-depth interview with Moshe Ratson, MFT, PCC.
About this article
Reader Success Stories
"I asked for one 3 weeks before my birthday and when it was my birthday, I got one and I was so happy. I did three weeks worth of chores after I got it. Now I am as happy as can be."..." more
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