Most of us have been guilty at one time or another of making empty threats or offering fake choices. Empty Threats Making threats that can not possibly be carried out is worse than futile. Parents who use empty threats never get the desired results. Children very quickly learn not to believe empty threats. At best, threats just convince our children that we are feeling helpless.
Empty threats are a loss of control.
After a parent says something ridiculous as a threat, the child can challenge the threat and prove who is in control. Even if the parent resorts to physical force to make the child comply, the child has won. A wise parent will not make any threat that cannot be carried out. Remember, a promise is different. The results are promised, the child has a choice, and the parent acts.