Baby and Kid News
Bad Child Behaviors
need to give your child a good outlook on right and wrong, but at the same time you need to be able to adapt to new bad child behaviors that may come up.
The most important thing to understand when dealing with child problem behaviors is to understand that children are rational, thinking creatures just like yourself. Of course, depending on the age of the child, there may be some concepts or modes of thinking that he or she doesn't understand. Nonetheless, there is pretty much always a way to put things in his or her language and explain yourself properly. If a child asks “why,” don't be afraid to answer. Your kid will respect you more if you are able to answer his or her questions.
At the same time, correcting bad child behaviors means being able to let the kid know who is boss. As the parent or authority figure, you need to be able to show your kid that your word is law. Don't let everything become an argument. It will be be much more stressful for both you and your child.
With bad child behaviors, sometimes you don't have to directly correct the child. Sometimes, you can do just as well by giving the kid something else to do. Redirecting the behavior by finding a constructive alternative, or even distracting the child can sometimes be enough. Just don't resort to bribes when you don't have to. Bribing your child for good behavior teaches the child to only do what he or she is supposed to for a reward.
Sometimes the best way to correct bad child behavior is with a behavior checklist. That way, he or she will know exactly what is expected of themselves from day one. You can give stars or positive attention in exchange for good behavior. After a few weeks, you can even give out a reward without any negative repercussions. Just don't make it a system of constant bribes or the child will never improve. The real key is to use intermittent reinforcement. Soon, your child will internalize your ideas of right and wrong.
Fixing bad child behaviors is a full time job for many parents, as well as for the countless professionals who work with children. Child psychology is a very complex and difficult area, and there are always hidden variables. The key when working with children is to come up with the right balance of flexibility and consistency. You
