Effective Ways to Deal With Difficult Kids
Difficult kid behavior is characterized by frequent fights over ordinary tasks such as clothes, mealtime, bath time, or getting ready for bed. It extends beyond the Preschool activities, where parents are often apprehensive to take their children to social gatherings for fear of triggering a breakdown or having a difficult time coping with their child in general.
Here are some suggestions for dealing with challenging children if you are the parent of one:
Pick your fights — You’ll always be at war with your child if you turn every bad behavior into a battle! Instead, make a list of 10 or 15 of the most serious no-nos, such as acts that are dangerous to others, irritating, or uncivil. Set genuine consequences that you can follow through on if there are activities that are forbidden, such as riding their tricycle on the street. Maintain consistency in disciplining children, as a lack of it might cause them to get confused and resist.
Take preventive measures — This one takes a little getting used to, but it’s worth it. To forecast and avert blowups, use your knowledge of your child’s temperaments. If he likes to grab items out of the cupboards while you’re cooking, lock them so he can’t get in. Know when he’s feeling the most energized or fatigued and irritable so you can plan excursions to the store or the doctor when he’s feeling his best. To keep him entertained, bring along some of his favorite toys or some snacks.
Maintain control –According to the Chino CA childcare experts you should not lose control or give in to bad conduct or tantrums of your kids. Giving in would reveal your vulnerability, allowing her to control you once more through tantrums. Instead, you may focus on her impotence to locate the information you need to reclaim control.
Stay calm — The calmer you are, the better you will be able to deal with the issue. When telling your child to halt poor conduct, your tone should be quiet, steady, and neutral. A suggestive tone would be more effective than a dominating tone in getting them to do something like wash their hands before a meal.
Listen carefully — Day Care teachers have observed that children value being heard above all else, and they frequently act out to gain attention. So, anytime kids express happiness or grief, pay attention and respond so they feel they are being heard. Let’s say he wants to open the cookie box at the store; explain why he shouldn’t and tell him to wait until you’ve checked out.
Emphasize with them — Your child may not be able to comprehend the emotional turmoil that is raging inside their heads, but you can. Tune in to their feelings as much as possible and teach them to name them so they can better communicate what’s going on.
Explain more — Instead of reacting to misbehavior, tell children that stealing another child’s toy is bad because they wouldn’t like it if it happened to them. The same goes for punching or biting others so they can grasp how their actions affect others.
