10 Effective Tips to Get Children to Behave

Raising well-behaved children has become an arduous task for most parents of today. Parents have busy lifestyles and find it hard to balance their personal and professional commitments. A hectic work culture leaves less time to interact and connect with children. Therefore, the lessons crucial for developing a strong character for a secure future are either left out or not emphasized consistently by parents.

How to get children to behave? Why does my son not behave appropriately around people? How to teach a child to behave in a school? These are a few glaring questions parents dart at child psychologists. Well, it is not rocket science to get kids to behave well, and neither does one need to visit a doctor unless the situation is out of control. The tips below will help you discipline your child to behave in an impeccable fashion at all times. You could also win some brownie points for being a great parent!

1. Acknowledge the Child’s Feelings

It is very important to acknowledge your child’s feelings and not disregard them. For example, if your kid is angry because you took his toy, try not to ignore his feelings and take efforts to calm him down by providing an explanation for your action. The child needs to know the true reason for you doing so. Therefore, telling him that you took the toy because it was time for him to enjoy a meal or because he behaved inappropriately will help you make your point in a better fashion.

2. Reorganize Your Thoughts

Try to understand that your child is not being hard or difficult on purpose. He just doesn’t understand the importance of it all. Therefore, instead of expressing your disappointment upon your child’s inappropriate behavior, try telling him that you understand he’s having a hard time and offer help. Remember that your child is struggling to express himself, and only you hold the key to help him vent his feelings.

3. Change the Concept of Discipline

The word discipline originates from the Latin word “to teach”. You can ditch punishment for reiterating the importance of good behavior and use reassuring words and motivational gestures to induce it as well. For example, saying you are proud of your child for behaving well, and being kind and thoughtful when he does something truly heart-touching, will encourage him to continue being on his best behavior. Also, ensure that you model yourself on the same lines for your little one to follow.

Never yell, shout or scream when you have to make a point. Using an inappropriate tone with children often leads to them drifting away and being less empathetic towards your concerns. Remember that children imitate their parents to a great extent. Therefore it is important to be assertive and calmly stress upon the core of the matter for your child to understand it.

Never fail to respond or acknowledge your child’s actions. If your child has been good at tidying up his room, pat his back for doing a good job, or thank him. Saying positive words, such as “Well done!”, “Thank You!” or “What a wonderful display of a sense of responsibility!” will make your child feel good and get a sense of accomplishment, too.

6. Use Motivation

A reward chart works wonders when disciplining your kid. Invest in one and have stickers handy to highlight good behavior. Sell the idea of behaving well with an incentive that your child will receive on gaining a certain number of points.

7. Give Options

Explain to your child that good behavior will fetch him rewards and appreciations, while bad behavior will lead to disappointment among his loved ones, be it his family or friends. Giving options to your child gives him some time to think and decide what he wants. It also encourages him to distinguish between right and wrong and follow that principle always.

8. Send Gentle Warnings

Don’t make any abrupt endings to anything that your kid does. Kids hate it when they are not given a prior warning of what is coming up. For example, if you want them to stop watching TV, then give a “5-minute warning” signal before it is time to switch off. This way, they will be mentally prepared for what they can expect.

9. Teach Gratitude

Kids need to be taught gratitude and its importance, and the best way to that is to set a small routine, either in the morning or at bedtime, to give thanks for everything they have. Once this routine is set, you’ll notice how quickly it reflects in the other aspects of your child’s life, be it at school, at home, or at parties and other social gatherings.

Yoga and meditation exercises have been proven helpful to tackle stress in adults. They have amazing benefits for kids, too, when practiced on a regular basis. Engage your child in meditation or yoga asanas to calm his senses daily. By practicing yoga and meditation, kids, especially those with special needs, develop a composed mind, and thereby, adopt a calm approach to deal with any situation.

There is no proven technique to inspire good behavior; the most important thing is to lead by example. Let your child see how you care for people around you, hear the kind words you use, and see you doing your duty irrespective of being told. They will suffice to encourage empathetic behavior in your child. Build your repertoire of techniques, tools, methods, and language to motivate good behavior and gain maximum cooperation from your child. Ditch the drama and bring in engaging dialogues and discussions to strike that healthy balance.

SHIJINA RIJESH