Behaviour is the way one acts or responds to a particular situation at a given time. From infancy, a child’s behaviour can be carefully observed by a medical professional since it requires great scrutiny. However, as an infant grows, it is entirely upon the parents and caregivers to observe how their little ones behave. But why is it so important? The reason is that kids are prone to learning and repeating behaviours, so once your little one adopts recurrent negative behavioural patterns, he or she is likely to repeat that behaviour.
To avoid such a dilemma, you must break negative behavioural patterns or prevent them from happening by discussing them with your child sensitively and respectfully. Child behaviour problems and solutions might be easier than you think. Before delving into some of the effective strategies to tackle negative behaviour, let’s have a look at the factors that contribute to the negative behaviour of kids.
Did you know that addressing negative behaviour patterns can greatly improve parent-child relationships?
“Parenting is a rewarding journey, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges, especially when it comes to addressing behavioural issues in children. You must teach your child to be empathetic by explaining how their actions can hurt others and promote problem-solving skills.”
Dr Paula Goel, Paediatrician and Adolescent Specialist, Fayth Clinic
4 Potential Contributors to Negative Child Behaviour
- You may be going through a rough patch
- Changes in a child’s life
- Need for attention
- Your response to your child’s behaviour
Believe it or not, children are very receptive and sensitive to changes or difficulties that you as a parent might be facing. Stressful situations within the family, like a parent’s health, finances or even marital issues can alter kids’ behaviour.
As a child, one is still inexperienced, and every new situation feels like an entirely new experience. Changes in life like the birth of a new baby or even relocation of accommodation can have a drastic effect on the psychological set-up of a child, leading to negative behaviour.
Children love attention from their parents and crave it daily. So, what happens when they don’t get that attention? Well, they tend to act up, resulting in temper tantrums. Kids do this to get the attention of their parents. A simple example could be a father watching a sporting event on television. The moment the child notices that his or her father is occupied with something else, the child will either attempt to take the remote or start crying in an attempt to get the father’s attention. Therefore, address their need for attention to resolve children’s negative behaviours.
This is one of the key factors responsible for repeated negative behaviour in children. For instance, if you’ve given into temper tantrums only to save yourself from further embarrassment, you’ve merely put a bandaid over a gaping wound. Rather than finding a temporary fix, you must look for something more long-lasting. Ignoring your child’s negative behaviour is encouraging it in a way. However, a quick remedy to the problem is understanding the cause of the issue and making your child feel safe while discussing it.
Did you know addressing negative patterns can resolve deeper underlying problems of your children?
4 Key Measures to Overcome Behavioural Problems in Children
You have got a good idea about how the behaviour of your little one is affected, let’s look at how to stop inappropriate behaviour. If you’re wondering how to overcome behavioural problems, here are a few effective and efficient strategies for discussing negative behaviour with your kids:
- Approach your child in a calm and considerate manner
- Bond with your child
- Avoid shaming your child
- Look at the cause and not the effect
Discussing such situations with your child may make it awkward for your little one. As a parent, it is natural to panic when your child behaves negatively. However, it is important to address the issue in a calm and composed manner, so your child doesn’t resort to a fight-or-flight response. Being calm and considerate are key measures to resolve negative child behaviour.
Rather than strictly reprimanding your child, you can approach the problem with care. This can be done by connecting and forming a strong emotional bond with your child. When a strong emotional bond between parent and child is established, it creates a comforting atmosphere in which there is more space and comfort for open communication. Therefore, please bond with your child to deal with children’s negative behaviours.
Just like an adult, even a child feels ashamed. Try to avoid shaming your child when discussing his or her negative behaviour. Shaming a child usually results in an act of defiance that manifests itself in repeating bad or negative behaviours. As a parent and a caregiver, you must discuss such behaviour with your child and explain to him or her what makes that behaviour bad or negative. Children are curious by nature and are always looking for explanations. Therefore, kindly avoid shaming your child when faced with children’s negative behaviours.
Did you know that shaming when addressing negative behaviour patterns of children can impact their mental wellbeing in the long run?
Pointing fingers and playing the blame game never gets one anywhere. Identifying child behaviour problems and solutions is an integral part of the process. Now that you know your child has exhibited bad or negative behaviour, you must look beyond the temporary or immediate fix and equip your child with the tools necessary to avoid such behaviour. While discussing this with your little one, ensure to help him or her understand what feelings or situations trigger negative behaviour. By equipping them with the tools to avoid such behaviour, you are also making them self-aware. Therefore, evaluating the cause of the problem is a key step to resolve negative child behaviour.
Conclusion
Rectifying the negative behaviour of kids is a tricky thing but can be made simple through behaviour management techniques for parents. Before parents engage in a discussion on negative behaviour with their kids, parents need to learn about certain techniques and ways to manage such behaviour. Instances of this include establishing rules at home, setting up a reward chart, being receptive to positive behaviour and demonstrating complete objectivity. We have provided you with information regarding child behaviour problems and solutions.
We deal sensitively to address the root causes of the problem and work alongside parents to help kids reach their full potential, at EuroKids. We are an ever developing and evolving education centre that caters to the needs of little ones. You can visit a EuroKids centre near you to receive expert guidance on learning new techniques to tackle the negative behaviour in children.
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