The parent should spend at least 10 minutes a day alone reading or playing with the child. If power struggles are often rooted in a lack of attention to the child, these positive attention activities can strengthen their interaction and lessen the impact of potential parent-child conflict. Get into your child's rhythm. Being rushed is not compatible with a child's natural rhythm. The dawdling, which is seen by the parent as a challenge to their authority, is normal for children.
Time runs much slower for kids than the hectic pace of working adults.
Avoid disagreements when pressed for time. Stress and fatigue, on the part of either the parent or child, can turn a benign disagreement into a full-blown power struggle. When fresh and mellow, seemingly inane comments or requests can be handled. When either is tired or stressed out, the same comment or question can trigger heated debates. Power struggles may evaporate if you figure out how to creatively obtain your child's cooperation.