Improving Your Child

Parents know their children cannot be the little angels they dream of before they are born. Some children are more difficult to handle than others but every child behaves bad at one time or another. Some may have episodes of bad behavior more than others but every child will have events of bad behavior. There are steps you can take to reduce the number of times your children behave badly and reduce the severity of each episode.

The first and most important step you can take in helping your child with bad behavior is to have a loving, stable relationship with them. Giving them a healthy social environment to grow up in will show your child they do not have to misbehave to receive the attention they crave and want. Take time with your children, play with them, read to them, and take time to listen to heir concerns. You can tell your child you love them, but you can show them by taking some time to be with them. The tone of your voice, your body language, and laughter you share with them will let them know they are loved and will reduce the incidents of bad behavior. These are valuable parenting tools you can pass on to your children.

Take some time to plan good behavior times instead of worrying about the times you normally expect bad behavior. Children display bad behavior during times of adjustment, stress, or transition. You may notice a change in your children especially during a move, the addition or loss of a family member, or if there is an increased amount of tension in the home. Bad behavior is often a result of situations and challenges your child is not equipped to handle or have the skills to work through the challenge. It is a natural reaction for children to resort to bad behavior if they feel they are being threatened, abandoned, or receive no guidance about their actions.

How do you respond to your child’s bad behavior? Your response can trigger more bad behavior if your child sees that his or her actions are getting them the attention they want or need. Parents should respond to bad behavior in a positive way and show the children there will be consequences for their actions. If your child gets the response they are looking for by throwing a tantrum they will continue to throw tantrums. If they find their bad behaviors have effects their bad behaviors will be reduced or erased.

It doesn’t take a child long to realize that his or her actions if the response is immediate and directly related to the action. Children see the consequences of their actions naturally sometimes. They will be burned if they touch the hot pan their parent has told them not to touch. Parents can make the child understand the connection between the disobedience and the resulting burn.

A parent’s response can help shape your child’s future behavior. Many times a parent’s approval or disapproval can reinforce or punish a behavior. You can reinforce this response by giving rewards or punishments according to the child’s behavior and actions.

The response to your child’s good or bad behavior should be immediate. Encourage good behavior and respond suitably to bad behavior.

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