Parenting can be a very challenging task. Your child might exhibit a lot of undesirable behaviors as he is growing up, and it is not always easy to know what you should do to make sure your child grows into a happy and well-adjusted person. Sometimes, you might feel overwhelmed with the sheer difficulty of dealing with naughty children, but parenthood is not a job that you can resign or take a leave from.
You will find a lot of things difficult in your role as a parent, and you will need all the patience and strength that you can muster to pull through for the family. In this article, we will focus on the most common problems that parents have with young children, and we will try to lessen your child-induced stress by providing a few tips for taking care of these issues.
1. Your child won’t listen to whatever you are saying.
It can be unpleasant when the person you are talking to tunes out in the middle of your conversation. It’s even worse when it’s your own kid ignoring you. Unfortunately, with so many distractions available for children today, it’s easy for kids to develop a penchant for tuning out. The internet, the shows on TV, video games, chat apps, and social media are just a few of the things that condition children to focus on their subject of interest and block out stuff they don’t want to pay attention to.
As parents, it not acceptable for you to be on your child’s tune-out list. To show them that you are not to be ignored, you can try using a more forceful tone as you speak. Sometimes, parents tend to baby talk their children even though they have outgrown it, and speaking to them mildly and sweetly can make them forget your authority as the parent.
When talking to your child, using sentences that end in a period can better get their attention instead of statements that sound like you ask for permission. A confidently-sounded “listen to me” is more likely to get a child’s notice than a soft “can you listen to me” statement. Additionally, practice making eye contact every time you talk to your child.
2. Your child has developed a habit of whining.
When your child starts to whine excessively, it can drain away from your energy quicker than a full-blown house cleaning. A child usually complains because they want your attention. Once the child sees that whining is useful, it becomes necessary whenever they want you to notice them.
To put a stop to whining, you should try to ignore the behavior entirely until your child figures out that it’s not going to work anymore. If the whining starts to bug you, you can use small gestures to signal your kid to stop. Even if the child begins to cry, stay focused on conditioning their behavior to ensure that the whining stops early. It’s going to make you feel uncomfortable for sure, but the rewards are worth the challenge.
3. Your child is a hitter.
Their parents wouldn’t admit it, but some kids like hitting other people. Children might start hitting due to frustration, anger, or enjoying the attention they get doing it.
An excellent way to start solving this issue is by understanding why your child is hitting. Take time to observe your child’s behavior to determine which situations they are likely to hit. Check how they (or how they can’t) express extreme emotions such as anger and frustration. Knowing the cause of the behavior can help you create a better plan to change it.
Behavioral changes don’t happen overnight. Talk to your child whenever necessary, and explain why hitting is terrible. If your child insists on hitting something when they’re emotional, try to give them a safe outlet such as a soft pillow or comfy mattress. It’s alright for the progress to be slow. Be a good role model and show them how to process strong emotions properly without hitting anything. As long as the behavior is consistently discouraged and a positive one is rewarded, your kid should eventually stop hitting even the inanimate objects.
Being a parent is a 24/7 responsibility that you will be doing even until your child grows and marries into their own family. For now, try to enjoy every little moment as it passes since your offspring will only be children once. Treat parenthood as a marathon, not a sprint. You should be ready for the long haul and always present along the way.
