How do you make your kid listen when they don't want to do something?

It is hard when they don't want to do something and you want them to do it and often you will have to find some way to explain why they need to listen . With little ones it is easier because you can use a gimmick to get them to behave better . Right now I am doing one with pennies . The girls each get ten pennies a day . They are only three and five so pennies work good . When they disbehave they lose a penny , at the end of the day all the pennies they have left are theirs to keep and when they reach a couple of dollars I am going to take them to the store to buy themselves a treat of their choice . So far it is working very well and they are excited to see their pennies turn into silver money ( nickles and dimes :) . It is harder with teenagers as they have there own agenda and if it does not suit yours , then other then talking to them and taking away priviledge for misbehaved behavior there is not a lot more you can do .

My kids are 11, 7, and 6. Of course they do not always listen when they are told to do xomething. Does any kid? I handle this by taking away privileges with the younger two. Now, my oldest seems to have this problem with doing anything he is told to do here recently. He is a challenge. Tonight, because he chose to play around and not listen to me, he has to stay up intil it is done. I am hoping that he will get the message this way. I try not to woory too much about how my kids will be when they grow up. If I do the best job I can as a parent in teaching them right from wrong, and how to be an honest and responsible person, I think they will b just fine.