Steps to Good Behavior…
You have all heard of the “terrible two’s” and the “trying three’s”, but what exactly can you do about it? Every child goes through different stages from infant, to toddler, to school age and so forth. Some of the stages are good and some are not so good. The question is what to do when they go through the not so good stages.
From the moment your child starts to crawl and walk they seem so inquisitive. They want to touch everything and put everything in their mouth. You find yourself following your child everywhere just to make sure that they stay out of harm’s way. By the end of the day you are so exhausted that your head just can’t wait to hit the pillow at night.
Kids can be very busy, so you have to be ready just to keep up with them. This is the perfect time to start teaching your child manners and how to behave in the home as well as away from home. Some may say that as a baby they are too young to understand, but this is the perfect time to start with great habits to live by.
-Always try to use positive reinforcement with your child.
-Teach them table manners whenever it’s mealtime and try to stick to it as much as possible.
-When around other people teach your child to be respectful to other adults as well as children.
-If your child starts to bite, kick or use other negative actions, correct them immediately. Once again try to remain calm and be positive.
-Whether you choose “Time Out” or another method with your child, stick to it as much as possible. This will help to create discipline for your child.
-If you have more than one child, try to keep the same punishments for both. Do not show favoritism. This could cause division between the children.
-Try to always surround yourself and kids with positive people and role models.
-Spend quality time with your kids and keep them involved in positive activities i.e. swimming, dance, sports, etc.
-Talk to your kids, ask them about their day. Even though they are kids they have good and bad days also.
-Teach your kids early how to share their toys with one another.
-Know your children’s friends and who they are hanging out with at school and away from school.
-It is also a great idea to know what your child is listening to on the radio and watching on TV. Kids pick up habits very easily. So make sure it’s a good habit that they are picking up from others.
Just remember kids will be kids and no one is perfect. Keep in mind, the more you follow these steps the easier it will become for your child to learn good behavior. It may take a while. But, hang in there; eventually they will get it.
