6 Ways To Parent Unruly Children
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Have you ever got on a flight and prayed that your adjacent seat was not occupied by a naughty kid? Well, we are not judging! And honestly, everyone, including parents, are petrified of unruly kids. They say it’s a phase, but it’s the longest phase parents have to cope with. This is when the screams, tantrums, and fits come by in clusters drawing attention and embarrassment upon the caregivers. But as the primary caregivers, you must parent them through this stage so they grow up to follow the rules and learn to channel their emotions in the right direction. Here are a few ways to parent naughty kids. Read on to know them all.
1. Set Some Ground Rules
Irrespective of how calm or naughty your kids are, every home needs some strict ground rules. It can be about how long your child is allowed to play, how much screen time they get, or how they need to eat their veggies every day. Setting these rules from a young age helps them understand the gravity of having a code of conduct and supports them to behave themselves accordingly.
2. Distract Them
Sometimes kids are deliberately naughty just to grab your attention. You need to distract them from the fit they are throwing and talk to them about it when they are calmer. Thankfully distracting kids is not rocket science, and the younger they are, the easier it is. It can be in the form of a game where you role play as one another and let them parent you. You can also have a particular song that increases your bond and helps them escape the bursting fits of anger.
3. Positive Reinforcements
Just because you want to parent your kids right doesn’t mean you have to be strict and unfriendly with them. Being kind and gentle to your kids is what molds your kids to be good humans. Make sure you encourage them for the good things they do and reward them for the same. It doesn’t have to be huge or a sugary treat always. You can take them to places that help them learn or give them something they have wanted for a long time. Help your kids appreciate the small things in life.
4. Lead By Example
The best way to teach your kids is through example. It is seen that parents who are voracious readers have kids who love reading too, and this is simply because kids love following their elders and copying them. So if you preach healthy food habits, you have to practice them too. Make sure you do it for everything you want to inculcate in them, including screen time. The statement that ‘grownups can’ doesn’t hold much weight for kids as they think of it as a dead end and are looking for ways to break through.
5. Explain The Consequences
Every action has a consequence, and this is something your child should learn from you. Children are experts at breaking the rules and sometimes do it on purpose. There should be a defined set of punishments as consequences for their misconduct. It can be taking away their TV time, favorite toy, or anything very dear to them. This should be done in a way that your child learns to respect and follow the rules instead of making it an issue to get back at you. Be patient and talk to them through it to help them understand what they did wrong and encourage them to see the silver lining behind every situation.
6. Communicate The Rules With Other Caregivers
You must communicate your rules of parenting with all the caregivers your kids have. Be it the grandparents, a nanny, or an elder sibling, everyone should follow the same rules as you when it comes to looking after your child. Consistency is how to teach your kids what is accepted and what is not, so you shouldn’t bend the rules on any occasion. For example, if ice cream is for the weekends only, ensure no one spoils them with ice cream on weekdays, especially grandparents!
Kids will be kids, and no matter how much you try, they won’t sit quietly to reminisce about how calm the weather is. And in a way, it’s for the best! Parenthood is never easy, but once you welcome a child to your family, you have to be prepared for the bubbliest child who doesn’t sit down for a minute and has billions of questions to throw at you. But, no matter how naughty they are, you have nothing to worry about if they are well-behaved and caring. So, what is the naughtiest thing your kid has done? Let us know in the comments section. Happy parenting!
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