Being a parent, your most competency is the tolerance level if you have a ‘naughty’ child. If your child does mischiefs, screams or cries or shouts for his demands, you’re likely to lose your cool and scold him. You may also think that this is the only way to overcome your kid’s behaviour. There is no ban to lose patience. But we have so many other ways to overcome everyday situations. Once you understand where this naughty behaviour comes from and stop blaming yourself, you can address the issue in a far more constructive and compassionate manner. Let’s look at how you can deal with your naughty child.
Reasons for Naughty Behaviour in a Child
There are many reasons for the naughty behaviour of the child.
1. Remember, You Child’s Brain is Developing
We should often remember that our young children’s brains are still developing. After careful and consistent efforts by the parents, developing the skills like self-regulation in children. So if your child doesn’t listen to your warning and advice, it’s because the area of his brain which is involved with self-control isn’t fully developed yet. As a parent, you should have achieved some patience and consistent efforts.
2. Physical Effects
Hunger, thirst, sleep deprivation, or sickness can affect even adults in many ways and make them irritable. In the case of kids, these matters may cause a double effect. So if they are tired or hungry or have too much sugar, they tend to be more active and act out as a consequence.
3. Need a Balanced Lifestyle
Parents should ensure about their child’s body and mind is active. As yet, this has to be balanced with proper rest, too. Your kid’s behaviour may change when your kid feels stressed due to over-stimulation (it could be because of socialising or physical activity). He may be hyperactive then. When kids have a good balance of activity and rest in their lives, this behaviour will lessen.
4. Show Patience in their Independency
You may always dream about the independence of your child. But at the same time, you may get annoyed when your child actually strives to do things alone. So when your toddler is particular about choosing his own outfit and ends up going to school wearing something outlandish, try and be patient. Understand that no matter how silly or wrong the decision seems, he is just learning to be independent.
5. Overwhelming Emotions
As kids are not used to dealing with powerful emotions like fear, sadness, or frustration, the mechanisms may not have developed for coping with such emotions at a young age. So when children are overwhelmed, they may throw their temper, shout, cry, or be difficult. These are the ways how children express their feelings. You must support him during this time and teach him how to deal with his emotions. Shouting is not the way in such situations, you can talk in a gentle and even tone.
6. Release their Energy
Kids often have highly energetic and they need to burn off. They constantly need physical activities such as running or playing outside. So if your child is active even during their rest time, understand that they have to burn their energy.
7. Inconsistency
Every family has certain standard rules for kids that they are expected to obey. If your child is not conscious of the rules or if you are lenient with the rules, your child may get frustrated and act naughtily. So be strong and consistent when setting rules for your child. He will respond and behave better when he knows what is expected of him.
8. Your Mood
Human beings’ moods are generally affected by the attitude shown by people around them. So, if you display negative or angry behaviour towards your child, he may be twinning your attitude. If you are calm and patient around them, they will mirror the same around you.
9. Love for Play
If your kid plays pranks like hiding your shoes before you go out or hiding the car keys, it is because he has an inherent love for playing, especially with parents. It’s a sign of attention-seeking behaviour and you must understand that your child wants you to spend time with him.
10. Different Characteristics
Everyone is unique and has different qualities, strengths, and weaknesses. Some people are motivated and focused while others are compassionate. It is the same with kids, and that might influence their behaviour. It is important to know their strengths when dealing with their naughty behaviour.
How a Child’s Naughtiness Affects Parents
Parents may be a huge frustrated while managing a child’s naughty behaviour. But sometimes it is the behaviour of the parents themselves that bring about a child’s naughty behaviour. A child’s naughtiness can make a parent feel:
Annoyed
Helpless
Worn out
Frightened
Sympathetic
Deal With Your Naughty Child
There are a few simple and practical guidelines for you to help you handle your naughty child. Read and follow some tips to overcome your most annoying situations with your kids:
1. Fixing the Limits
Don’t extend a kind heart always towards every need of your child. Set limits and don’t put the responsibility of deciding what he needs and doesn’t need entirely on him. Filter and allow their needs with their need, urgency and necessity. If he shows anger or other threats, tell him that he won’t just get what he wants with such behaviour.
2. Be Consistent
You should be careful about the ways of treating your child. Don’t treat your children differently every day. If one day you are firm with your child and lenient the next day, he won’t take you seriously. For instance, if one day you don’t allow him to play for a long time, and the next day you let him play all he wants just because you are busy and want him to keep quiet, it will send out a mixed message to your child. So be consistent in setting and following rules.
3. Grant Freedom
Don’t dictate everything he has to do each and every minute. Allow him to do things himself, and give him little independence with regards to choosing his own clothes or deciding how he would like to drink milk.
4. Control the Screen Time
Watching cartoons continuously for a long time can create an agitating kid. It will make them over-excited and prone to naughty behaviour. So set limits for watching TV or playing games on the computer.
5. Make Understand the Consequences
Let your child know about the consequences of his naughty behaviour. He needs to know that he will get into trouble if he throws tantrums or shouts for no reason. Tell him that this kind of behaviour is unacceptable.
6. Stand Strong in the Face of a Tantrum
If your child has been crying continuously for a long for wanting anything, you may be tempted to give in to his demands. But don’t fulfil his demands every time he cries. That habit will definitely spoil him. He may use that as a tool for getting anything, so learn to ignore his cries. He will stop crying on his own.
7. Pay Attention
Sometimes children show naughty behaviour for capturing their patent’s attention. Learn to listen to your child calmly, ask him why he is acting that way and what can you do to make it stop. Your child will respond well to your considerate behaviour.
8. Don’t Shout
Do not shower your temper and shout back at your child. This might have an effect for the time being, but he will also learn to mimic you in the future.
9. Do not Show your Anger to your Child
When you are out of order, and if your child is not behaving properly, don’t take out your negative emotions on him. If you shout at your child when he is not at fault, he will get angry at you and may misbehave. Stay calm and handle the situation with patience. Children are impressionable; your calm behaviour will be noted by your child and he will learn to stay calm in moments of anger by merely observing you.
10. Set a Routine
In the academic calendar, kids may have holidays. Parents should set a regular timetable for the kids. That will set laws to live by, and your child won’t feel compelled to misbehave as he will have a solid routine to follow. Set a fixed sleeping and eating routine too.
Your child will be a replica of you, especially in behaviour. So you should consciously make sure your behaviour is ideal for him to follow. Do not be too strict on him as this will make him naughty and nervous as he will not understand your feelings and your expectations of him. Being clear and transparent with your child will go a long way in making sure that he doesn’t act naughty all the time. Cherish, love and respect your child and he will respond in kind.