Positive discipline – this term is being used more often in the Eastern society nowadays, a far cry from the usual “tough love” that the older generation believes in. Misbehaving kids can be a problem for many young parents and there are tons of ways that could prove effective in dealing with misbehaviour. In this article, we will be focusing instead on positive discipline and ways for your kids to regulate their behaviour on their own, ultimately allowing them to be more well-behaved in the long run. It is important to note that no kid is inherently “bad”, but rather their views and understanding of life is very different from us as adults. At no point should parents impart their negative judgements onto their children and should instead steer them towards a greater good per say. Without further ado, here are three ways to deal with misbehaving kids.
Helping Your Child Understand What They Are Feeling
Often, when children lash out during their usual tantrums, it means that they are releasing the stress they are feeling within themselves out at their surroundings. As parents, it is important to recognize when this is about to happen and either reduce their stress or teach them how to cope with it. Instead of using threats and punishments, try first to adopt a nurturing stance, one where you talk reason to your kid by helping them identify the stresses in their life. Once your kid realizes that he is stressed, or emotionally affected, it is time for you to incorporate strategies by helping them to deal with it.
Teaching Your Kids to Deal with Their Emotions
After helping your kids to understand their emotions, it’s imperative that they know how to deal with it. Instead of lashing out, teach them methods such as breathing techniques to better gain control of their actions and reduce the overall stress that they may feel. Encourage experimentation with different activities that they are interested in to find the perfect combination that will help them to remain calm. Although the art of mindfulness or rather finding calm amidst the chaos can be a difficult concept to incorporate into a young child’s education, parents should try anyway as it is an excellent long-term strategy. Even today, many adults find it hard to deal with the stresses in their life in a positive way, and it could’ve been so much easier if this was taught to them as kids.
Praise and Affection on a Regular Basis
Bear in mind that this doesn’t mean needless praise as your child may become dependent on it. Instead, try to use praise and affection instead of endless scolding when the situation arises. For example, if one of your kids is throwing a tantrum, praise your other kid instead for being well-behaved and encourage his attitude. The kid that is throwing a tantrum will see this and understand that tantrums are useless and will result in him not getting his way. It can be hard at first for such a technique to work, especially if your kids are used to getting their way. This is why it is so important to never encourage tantrums by giving in to them.
With these techniques, your child will slowly change for the better to a mindset that is more positive over time.