Managing difficult behavior in children is always a challenge. But if you are predictably consistent, reliable and persistent in working toward the behavioral goals you have set for a child, you are more likely to get the type of behaviors you are seeking. Think of behavior in terms of CPR--only this CPR means that you are consistent in your expectations, persistent in getting the behaviors you want and reliable in terms of how you react when a child simply doesn't cooperate.
Behavior problems, also known as conduct disorders, typically do not appear suddenly. In many cases, children and teenagers show warning signs of behavior problems that--if they are diagnosed and treated early--the children can learn to manage. Look for these behaviors and symptoms that indicate an eventual behavior problem, and seek out appropriate support for your child.
Every parent hopes her child is well-liked by his peers, so it may come as a complete surprise to learn that your child is a bully. Bullying is a major problem in schools, and some children even harm themselves after being bullied. It's important to take charge of the bullying situation as soon as you learn about it. Work with your child so that he learns that bullying is wrong, and that there are more appropriate ways for him to act.
Many of the reasons why children don't behave is because of the way their parents choose to raise them. When children are babies, parents have to cater to their needs, but--at some point--the constant catering must end. That is when the trouble begins. The way you react to the misbehavior could stop it or make it worse.
The notion of birth order affecting your personality is debatable in academic circles, but the topic is a perennial favorite of pop psychology. According to the Psychology Today website, accurate predictions can be made about a person's behavior and personality based on birth order.
Altering or shaping a child's behavior takes incentive, consistency and patience. Creatively find ways to encourage your child to behave the way you desire, such as with a behavior chart. Ask Dr. Sears and the National Center for Learning Disabilities (LD) both recommend behavior charts that offer tangible rewards when your child exhibits desired behavior. Dr. Sears advises making the charts fun, changing them often, hanging them in a highly visible location and getting your child involved in creating and maintaining the chart.
Now that he has a full set of chompers, your child may be using them to assert himself, biting you, his siblings or the other kids at daycare. Naturally, you'll want to take action to stop this as quickly as possible. Disciplining biting behavior can take time and patience, but your child will eventually learn to control his anger in other ways.
If you spoil your child, you are creating a person who does not want to share, cannot wait his turn, is unappreciative and always wants his way, according to WebMD. If you consider those traits to be bad behavior, then spoiling a child most definitely causes it. Children with these traits are not only unpleasant for you to live with, but they often have a difficult time out in the real world when they discover that not everyone will give them what they want.
Most parents do not want to admit that their child is displaying deviant behavior. But burying your head in the sand or denying that your child has a problem is not going to help. If your child is disruptive at home or at school, he may need your help to get him back on the right track.
All children exhibit bad behavior from time to time. Most of this is age-appropriate, although it can be annoying to be around. Fortunately, you can work toward correcting your child's behavior so that he behaves in a way that you feel is most appropriate. Nationally renowned childcare experts, such as Dr. William Sears, typically suggest choosing your battles wisely. You won't be able to correct every problem at the same time, so focus on the important ones--those that could potentially hurt the child or others--and let the others slide.
