One reason for studying psychology is to help you deal with your children. Perhaps your daughter refuses to go to bed when you want her to and bursts into tears at the least mention of "light out". A little knowledge of psychology will come in handy. Offer her a choice of staying up until 7:30 with you or going upstairs and playing until 8:00. Since she gets to make the choice, she does not feel so powerless and will not therefore resist. Psychology is also useful in rewarding a child for a job well done. Instead of telling your 10 years old son what a good boy he is when he makes his own bed, tell him how neat it looks, how happy you are to see it, and how proud of him you are for doing it by himself. The psychology book will tell you that being a good boy is much harder to live up than doing one job well.