Behavior Problems Articles

Unacceptable behaviour is quite common in growing children, as it is one of the most common ways through which they express their emotions. Most toddlers and preschoolers show varied signs of unacceptable behaviour such as impatience to wait for their turn, rushing into activities, getting angry easily etc. Such behaviour normally occurs during situations wherein children are hungry, bored, feel lonely & ignored or when they do not get the attention they seek. However, such behaviour should not be allowed to become a part of their personality because unacceptable actions, if not controlled at an early age, can have adverse effects on their own lives as well as affect their relationships with their loved ones. Moreover, children who do not have control over their unacceptable reactions may find it difficult to adjust to the social set-up in which they live, grow and become a part of. Such children are often cornered and disliked by other children of their age and even by adults because through unacceptable reactions, children cause harm not only to themselves but also to the people around them, physically and psychologically. Here are some remedial measures & techniques that you can adopt at home, through which you as a parent can control your child’s unacceptable behaviour. Maintain a loving and understanding atmosphere at home wherein every family member shows respect towards each other. Be very careful with your behaviour towards others in the family in your child’s presence, as she may often pick up and imitate your actions. Unacceptable behaviour may sometimes occur because your child may not be getting the much-required parental attention. So, respond to your child promptly whenever she comes up to you to say something. Your attention, combined with love, will be helpful in keeping your child on the right track and also in reducing her tendency to show unacceptable behaviour. Speak to your child to get a clear picture of what she feels whenever she shows unacceptable reactions such as getting angry instantly, screaming, crying, feeling frustrated etc. In a polite way, ask her why she acts that way and let her express what all is in her mind. This way, you will be able to find out the problem areas and situations that make her show unacceptable reactions. Make your child realise that unacceptable reactions such as throwing or breaking her toys, screaming when angry, will not make her feel good later on, though it may give temporarily relief to her during the particular situation. Further, explain to her that such behaviour will create a bad impression about her, in the minds of others. Do not explain the bad effects of unacceptable behaviour through prolonged lectures. Whenever your child shows unacceptable reactions, try not to respond in anger, as keeping pace with such behaviour will become difficult for you if you also reply angrily. Instead, approach your child with a positive mind & attitude and focus on the remedial ways to control your child’s unacceptable behaviour. Monitor your child’s activities, behaviour and mood swings on any day, to know how she behaves in different circumstances. For this, you need to keep a track of her activities in the daily routine, such as studying, playing with her friends, watching television, dining with the family etc. and check how she reacts to different situations. Observe your child’s television viewing time and take a note of her favourite shows on TV. Even if it is a cartoon show, make sure that your child is not exposed to unacceptable acts of violence on television, as she may get influenced easily & may even imitate such undesirable actions in real life circumstances. Indulge your child in healthy and productive activities such as drawing, reading story books, making crafts etc. Productive activities will keep your child’s mind occupied and will also channelise her energy towards something progressive. Above all, have reasonable expectations from your child, keeping in mind her age & level of development because it is normal for small children to react on impulse, as they do not have the cognitive ability to have control over their responses.

Does your child refuse to eat anything besides junk food items? Or would she rather play than eat anything at all? If children’s nutrition is a sore topic in your household, then you are not alone. Patience and persistence are the two keys for parents to tackle the picky eaters. Parents of these picky eaters need not worry anymore. Just consider the following tips for picky eaters to avoid mealtime battles: Keep Calm-Make mealtimes enjoyable by creating a positive and calm environment for your child. Make sure that your child does not feel pressurized to eat. Do not get angry or lose patience if she takes time to finish her meal. Sit at the Table- Always encourage your child to eat her meals while sitting at the dining table as this will help her to understand that when she sits on the table, she is supposed to eat. Moreover, sitting at the dining table will help her to develop the right sitting posture. Share your Plate- Let your picky eater try food from your plate. Research says that children sometimes prefer to eat what’s on their parents’ plates, as they are aware that their food is different. Minimize Distractions- Most children can concentrate better when the environment at mealtimes is not distracting. Ensure that when your child is eating; her favourite toy/game should be kept well out of her sight. Also, turn off the T.V. or radio during mealtime. Stick to a Schedule- If your child eats very little or has no appetite, try to feed her at specific intervals; i.e. within every 3-4 hours. Strictly avoid snacks to encourage complete appetite for your child. If you eat this, you will be just like..: Children love to act just like their favourite character/cartoon character. So, motivate your child to eat certain healthy food items that will help them to be like their favourite characters.

Stammering is an age old problem associated with talking that has afflicted many people, especially children. Kids who stammer, present puzzling problems not only to parents but to the teachers as well. It becomes extremely difficult for them to identify the cause(s) behind breaks in fluency of speech and variations on different days. Also, there have been instances when a child faces stammering problem in school, while parents do not observe any such problem at home. Here are the tips to help child who stammers: Help the child in all possible ways so as to make her feel normal. Reduce communication stress by speaking slowly and calmly & by using simple words. Do not over-react if the child hesitates or repeats the words while talking. Do not let the child speak if she is crying, injured or upset, to avoid getting stammering response. Ensure the child that you are listening to her attentively by looking at her, not interrupting her while she talks and accept a certain amount of disfluency in her speech. If the child wants to know about her stammering, discuss about it in an open, calm and acceptable manner. If out of frustration, the child stammers, then reassure her by explaining her that sometimes even adults face trouble while talking. Do not allow anyone to tease, interrupt, imitate or make a mockery of the child’s speech. Instead, encourage a favourable attitude and try to explain the nature of stammering to them. Strictly do not insist the child not to stammer as this may lead to greater chances to force the words out. Keep the child away from failing whenever possible as anxiety and distress are amongst the major reasons that cause stammering while speech.

[ If your baby is ‘beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time,’ you’re the grandma.] — Theresa Bloomingdale The developmental task of all new babies is to trust that the world will support them, to know they are welcome in the family, and to learn that simply “being” in the world is important. With recent research on the brain, we know that bonding at this stage can set the foundation for the rest of the child’s life. When parents recognize what their child needs at this first stage of growth, they can give them the affirmations on which to build a solid foundation. Of course, when we speak of “affirmations” for infants, we don’t particularly mean words, although even very young children can recognize their mothers voice at birth. Nevertheless, you may wonder how affirmations apply to an infant since a newborn hasn’t learned a language yet. But the messages parents and others give to newborns aren’t expressed only in words. Babies learn it is their right to be in the world and to have their needs taken care of when their caregivers bond with them emotionally and gently nurture them with touch and loving care. That is why a soothing tone of voice is as important for an infant as the verbal encouragement offered a toddler who is afraid to go down a slide. Every time you gently hold a baby who has been fussing, you are teaching her that the world is a safe place to be. Every time you feed her when she has been crying, you are teaching her that she can get her needs met by letting others know what she wants. When you respond to her needs quickly and sensitively, she gradually learns how to comfort herself. When you talk with her as you change her diaper or put her in the car seat, you build on the language capacity her brain is programmed to develop. Affirmations needed by all babies from birth to six months of age—and by everyone else as well: We’re glad you’re here, because this is where you belong. We love holding you and having you near us. We will provide what you need because your needs are important to us. You can take your time to grow up at your own pace. We cherish you because you are a gift to the world. We will dream great dreams for you.