All children misbehave from time to time. They sure look angelic but when they act up, they may even force the devil to cry. Several things may cause your child to throw a tantrum. It may be physical like being hungry, or a stressful environment and even emotional reasons. So how do you find a solution to it? For managing children’s behavior, you need to first know more about it.  

What is a Normal Behavior for Children?

Normal behavior in kids is based on their age, physical & emotional growth and personality traits. Their good behavior depends on where and in which social and cultural conditions they are growing up. 

Tips to Manage Your Child’s Behavior

1. Praise Them

Whenever your children behave well, praise them and let them know that you approve of it. Your children respond well to praise and will behave well more often. 

2. Use the Time-out Method

This method is good for managing a child’s aggressive behavior. Decide beforehand the type of behavior that results in a time out. These could be tantrums, shouting, fighting or any other type of misbehavior. Pick a place that is boring for your children but not scary. Whenever they misbehave, give your children a warning but remain calm. If they continue to misbehave take them to the time-out area. This period should be short. Use one minute for a year of age and not more. Be nearby but don’t talk to them. Let them return when the time-out is over.  

3. Beat the Clock 

This is for children who take too much time on a task. It can range from homework to eating lunch or dinner. To counter this, ask your child to finish a task and set a timer at the same time. If your child finishes the task, give them a reward.  

4. The Good Behavior System 

It is a great method for teaching good habits to your children. Make a chart with a list of good behavior and tick it whenever your children do that. Reward them when a pre-decided number of ticks are achieved. 

5. Good Marks & Bad Marks 

This is a good method for managing a child’s aggressive behavior. Create a chart like above with positive and negative columns. Write a plus sign for good behavior and a negative sign for bad behavior. If your child is angry or fighting, give them a negative and if they are calm or reading a book, award a positive mark. If the positive points are more than negative then give your child a reward but not the other way around. 

6. Use Incentives for Managing Children’s Behavior

You can also use rewards to nudge your children towards becoming well-behaved and responsible kids. Create a chart again as above. Enter the tasks or household chores you want them to do. These could be making their beds or sorting the groceries. You can also include taking care of their siblings or sleeping on time and any number of other tasks. Award them a point for any good deeds or tasks done. After they get to a decided number of points, get them a treat of their liking. For smaller children you can use the point system for daily tasks as small children may lose interest for a longer period.  

7. Idea of Quiet Time 

Ask your children to play quietly for half an hour or less. Check on them in between. Praise them or reward them for the period they were quiet. Slowly increase the time and also the intervals of checking on them. Don’t forget to praise and give rewards. Continue till they acquire it as a behavior.  

Also Read : Manage Child’s Behavior in The Classroom

8. Connect with Your Children

Attempt to find why your child may be misbehaving. Maybe there is a solid reason behind it. Children act out if they have an issue or are worried. Talk to them so you can learn more and solve the problems they are facing. 

9. Maintain a Routine

Create a daily routine for your children and fix their meals and bedtime accordingly. Children act out if they are hungry or tired. Having their meals and sleep on time will prevent this from happening. They will respond well to the structure and be well-behaved.

10. Pick Your Battles

Do not try to change everything about your child’s behavior. Focus on the matters that should be changed. Then act on them. It will be less stressful for both you and your children.  

11. Give Your Children More Time

Some children require extra time to calm themselves, so give them extra time. Give them two or three minutes instead of one. Ask them to take deep breathes. It is likely to work and will not cause any flareups. 

12. Distract

Sometimes a little distraction may be required for managing children’s behavior. Think of and collect ideas, items, treats and rewards to divert your kid’s attention. A little game or a treat can cause a whiny or angry child to become a happy and calm one. Start your search today.  

13. Set Realistic Goals

Do not set a very high bar that your children cannot reach. Set small goals for them. Once they begin to achieve them, increase gradually. It will be impossible for your children to be quiet for 3 hours at a stretch. It is better to make it half hour first. Success at small goals will inspire them to reach for more. 

14. Be Clear

Your children may not always understand the tone of voice or any other inflection except plain simple speech. Be clear when you talk with them. Set well-defined rules for your children. Let them know what exactly is expected of them. Do not assume that your children know already. Spell out in clear words. It will avoid confusion. Your children now know the difference between good and bad behavior. 

15. Avoid Situation that Affects Your Child’s Behavior

Maybe your child is responding to external stimuli. Avoid situations that affect your children and make them cranky, tired or bored. Do not shout or punish your children in front of others. Explain to them about their bad behavior but don’t label them as bad. Be a loving and fair parent. Correct them but praise them often when they deserve it. Your children need your attention and affection. 

16. Keep Looking 

Keep looking and try to create your own tactics. Observe and monitor your children. Read parenting books and blogs or enroll for online course for parents for new techniques and approaches. They will bring you a lot of new ideas and ways to handle your children.  

For Children with ADHD and Other SPDs (Sensory Processing Disorders)

Children with ADHD and SPD may be be unable to sit and have limited self-control. They will generally not respond to rewards or punishments. The technique is to deal with their emotions first. When their emotions are in control then you can think about managing their behavior. Use yoga poses, deep breathing exercises to calm them. When they are calm, then explain how their behavior was not right. With a period of time, they will start to regulate their emotions and be better behaved. 

Conclusion

Never use physical punishment to manage your child’s behavior. It may work for a short time but will not solve the underlying problem. Other than that, it will create resentment in your child. Use the techniques above for this purpose. Your children will be better behaved, happy and will also learn to manage their emotions.

Also Read : Build Positive Character Traits In Children

All children misbehave from time to time. They sure look angelic but when they act up, they may even force the devil to cry. Several things may cause your child to throw a tantrum. It may be physical like being hungry, or a stressful environment and even emotional reasons. So how do you find a solution to it? For managing children’s behavior, you need to first know more about it.  

What is a Normal Behavior for Children?

Normal behavior in kids is based on their age, physical & emotional growth and personality traits. Their good behavior depends on where and in which social and cultural conditions they are growing up. 

Tips to Manage Your Child’s Behavior

1. Praise Them

Whenever your children behave well, praise them and let them know that you approve of it. Your children respond well to praise and will behave well more often. 

2. Use the Time-out Method

This method is good for managing a child’s aggressive behavior. Decide beforehand the type of behavior that results in a time out. These could be tantrums, shouting, fighting or any other type of misbehavior. Pick a place that is boring for your children but not scary. Whenever they misbehave, give your children a warning but remain calm. If they continue to misbehave take them to the time-out area. This period should be short. Use one minute for a year of age and not more. Be nearby but don’t talk to them. Let them return when the time-out is over.  

3. Beat the Clock 

This is for children who take too much time on a task. It can range from homework to eating lunch or dinner. To counter this, ask your child to finish a task and set a timer at the same time. If your child finishes the task, give them a reward.  

4. The Good Behavior System 

It is a great method for teaching good habits to your children. Make a chart with a list of good behavior and tick it whenever your children do that. Reward them when a pre-decided number of ticks are achieved. 

5. Good Marks & Bad Marks 

This is a good method for managing a child’s aggressive behavior. Create a chart like above with positive and negative columns. Write a plus sign for good behavior and a negative sign for bad behavior. If your child is angry or fighting, give them a negative and if they are calm or reading a book, award a positive mark. If the positive points are more than negative then give your child a reward but not the other way around. 

6. Use Incentives for Managing Children’s Behavior

You can also use rewards to nudge your children towards becoming well-behaved and responsible kids. Create a chart again as above. Enter the tasks or household chores you want them to do. These could be making their beds or sorting the groceries. You can also include taking care of their siblings or sleeping on time and any number of other tasks. Award them a point for any good deeds or tasks done. After they get to a decided number of points, get them a treat of their liking. For smaller children you can use the point system for daily tasks as small children may lose interest for a longer period.  

7. Idea of Quiet Time 

Ask your children to play quietly for half an hour or less. Check on them in between. Praise them or reward them for the period they were quiet. Slowly increase the time and also the intervals of checking on them. Don’t forget to praise and give rewards. Continue till they acquire it as a behavior.  

Also Read : Manage Child’s Behavior in The Classroom

8. Connect with Your Children

Attempt to find why your child may be misbehaving. Maybe there is a solid reason behind it. Children act out if they have an issue or are worried. Talk to them so you can learn more and solve the problems they are facing. 

9. Maintain a Routine

Create a daily routine for your children and fix their meals and bedtime accordingly. Children act out if they are hungry or tired. Having their meals and sleep on time will prevent this from happening. They will respond well to the structure and be well-behaved.

10. Pick Your Battles

Do not try to change everything about your child’s behavior. Focus on the matters that should be changed. Then act on them. It will be less stressful for both you and your children.  

11. Give Your Children More Time

Some children require extra time to calm themselves, so give them extra time. Give them two or three minutes instead of one. Ask them to take deep breathes. It is likely to work and will not cause any flareups. 

12. Distract

Sometimes a little distraction may be required for managing children’s behavior. Think of and collect ideas, items, treats and rewards to divert your kid’s attention. A little game or a treat can cause a whiny or angry child to become a happy and calm one. Start your search today.  

13. Set Realistic Goals

Do not set a very high bar that your children cannot reach. Set small goals for them. Once they begin to achieve them, increase gradually. It will be impossible for your children to be quiet for 3 hours at a stretch. It is better to make it half hour first. Success at small goals will inspire them to reach for more. 

14. Be Clear

Your children may not always understand the tone of voice or any other inflection except plain simple speech. Be clear when you talk with them. Set well-defined rules for your children. Let them know what exactly is expected of them. Do not assume that your children know already. Spell out in clear words. It will avoid confusion. Your children now know the difference between good and bad behavior. 

15. Avoid Situation that Affects Your Child’s Behavior

Maybe your child is responding to external stimuli. Avoid situations that affect your children and make them cranky, tired or bored. Do not shout or punish your children in front of others. Explain to them about their bad behavior but don’t label them as bad. Be a loving and fair parent. Correct them but praise them often when they deserve it. Your children need your attention and affection. 

16. Keep Looking 

Keep looking and try to create your own tactics. Observe and monitor your children. Read parenting books and blogs or enroll for online course for parents for new techniques and approaches. They will bring you a lot of new ideas and ways to handle your children.  

For Children with ADHD and Other SPDs (Sensory Processing Disorders)

Children with ADHD and SPD may be be unable to sit and have limited self-control. They will generally not respond to rewards or punishments. The technique is to deal with their emotions first. When their emotions are in control then you can think about managing their behavior. Use yoga poses, deep breathing exercises to calm them. When they are calm, then explain how their behavior was not right. With a period of time, they will start to regulate their emotions and be better behaved. 

Conclusion

Never use physical punishment to manage your child’s behavior. It may work for a short time but will not solve the underlying problem. Other than that, it will create resentment in your child. Use the techniques above for this purpose. Your children will be better behaved, happy and will also learn to manage their emotions.

Also Read : Build Positive Character Traits In Children