There are times in a young child’s life that parents may not totally comprehend. It can be quite time consuming trying to figure out just what is causing their reaction to various situations.
Take for instance the times you are cooking dinner and your three-year-old insists on having a Popsicle. She yells, cries, pulls on your pant leg, all the while knowing the rule that there are absolutely no treats until after she has finished her dinner. She is relentless in her actions, no matter how hard you try to calm her. Finally you relent and just give your child the Popsicle to get some semblance of peace back.
Your question to these familiar rituals is why does your child seek your attention in such negative ways; ways that can annoy you to tears? Most of all you want to know why you always seem to give in.
Dr. Joan Simeo Munson may just have answers to the questions you have. She is an expert at EmpoweringParents.com. She is also a practicing therapist and mother of three. This busy mother knows first-hand the attention seeking behavior that many children are so adept at.
Dr. Joan has notated the dos and don’ts of handling these habits and how to stop them once and for all. The Do’s include:
· Be empathic. Empathy doesn’t mean that you completely understand your child’s behavior; rather, it means that you know it’s coming from a place of developmental immaturity.
· Learn to ignore. It is okay to tell your child that whining will not get them what they want, and that you will speak to them when they can speak calmly.
· Display the rules. Let your child know exactly what your expectations are. You can do this by creating a “Rules Chart.”
· Be consistent. The biggest hurdle parents face stems from not consistently enforcing the consequences when their child acts out. Too often, parents give in because they are tired, frustrated, or just want their child to be quiet. While it is completely understandable, make no mistake about it: your child is taking mental notes each time you give in to their demands. This fuels them for the next time they want something, and they will double their attention-seeking efforts to get it.
The good doctor wants you to know that the key to all of this isn’t so much about figuring out why your child is acting out in this type of fashion, but for parents to learn the proper responses when your child does act out. Make certain to read through the attached link for even more ideas on how to deal with this terrible yet timeless issue.
Read More:
https://blog.himama.com/challenging-behavior-in-toddlers/
Childcare Tech Blog 