Good behavior from children makes parents happy. But children often don’t behave the way we’d like them to because they need our help. You might have found yourself in situations such as these:
- Frustrated, you give in to your child’s whining for candy while in the checkout line.
- Tired of telling your child to clean up her room, you do it yourself.
- Afraid of saying no too often, you allow your child to misbehave.
How can you help your child behave nicely without giving in or giving up? Focusing on what children do right helps them to stop doing what’s wrong. Follow these guidelines to encourage positive behavior. You’ll be on your way to more peaceful days and a better relationship with your child.
Catch her doing what you want. Keep a watchful eye on your child. When you find her doing something you want her to do, give plenty of praise. Affirmation will encourage her to keep up the positive behavior.
Ignore minor infractions. Often simply ignoring negative behavior can make it go away. However, never ignore behavior that is dangerous to the child or to others.
Say yes as much as possible. Parents say no several times a day but fail to say yes when they have the opportunity. Choose your battles wisely, allowing your child more freedom while maintaining limits.
Phrase commands in a positive way. Children respond better to commands that are specific. State what you want rather than what you don’t want. Instead of saying, “Stop running,” say, “You need to walk.”
Be consistent. You want your child to know what to expect from you. Inconsistency confuses children and leads to further misbehavior.
—Veola Vazquez
