Children get to an age where they will behave by MISBEHAVING. They have goals for what they want. If they do not get what they want from 'good' behaviour, they will naturally try misbehaviour. If this works for them then they will continue to behaviour badly. This week we'll briefly talk about behaviour.
A typical behaviour is screaming which is very effective for getting attention. Of course a child is allowed to show how they feel when frustrated or when told 'no', it is the parent's reaction to that which is important.
Some parents have come to think that uncooperative or rebellious behaviour in little ones is normal. I often hear them refer to misbehaviour as a stage, like 'The terrible two's' or 'all 4-year-olds do that' or 'worry not, she's just going through a stage'. By excusing this behaviour, they come to accept and expect negative behaviour. In the end the excuses allow parents to believe there is nothing they can do. Excuses should not be made for accepting inappropriate behaviour.
In this situation, a fundamental lack of understanding of human behaviour is the issue. We parents need to realize that our children's bad behaviour is not a stage or age related. Children know what they want and will 'fight' for it. Parents who understand children's behaviour and misbehaviour can handle and influence their children more positively. A great series of books covering child behaviour is the S.T.E.P series. Have a look on amazon or the like for the one that best suit you.
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