It goes without saying that you would struggle to find a child who is impeccably behaved all of the time. Just like adults, they have their own characteristics and tolerances, and personalities vary from child to child. All kids play up now and again, but if you feel that your child’s behaviour is getting out of control, it’s worth nipping in the bud straight away. If left to continue, it will not only cause you lots of stress and concern but could have long term effects on your child and their relationships with others. Here are 3 things that can help improve your child’s behaviour.
Talk to the school
If your child is of school-age and you have noticed a deterioration in their manners and behaviour, it’s worthwhile speaking to their teacher. There may be things going on at school that they aren’t telling anyone about, so if the teacher is aware, they can keep an eye on things too. Perhaps your child feels overwhelmed with school work or is being bullied by one of their classmates.
On the other hand, it may be that they are impeccably behaved in school, and it’s at home that they feel unhappy. Narrowing things down in a bid to get to the route of the problem could help immensely.
Develop a good bedtime routine
According to award-winning sleep blogger Kieran from The Dozy Owl, “a solid night time routine will result in better sleeping patterns and a better sleep, making tired mornings a thing of the past.”
None of us function particularly well without a decent night’s sleep and the same goes for your child. If bedtimes are a bit rushed and haphazard, make a concerted effort to develop a better routine. Watching TV and playing on gadgets can stimulate the brain, making it harder to sleep so, where possible, limit screen time and read books or have a bedtime chat instead.
Make sure they go to bed at the same time every night, and they should wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go in the morning. Once a good routine is in place, you might see a remarkable difference in your child’s behaviour.
Use reward charts and give praise for good behaviour
This method works best with younger children and is a great way to promote good behaviour. Printable rewards charts are very popular and can be adapted to include the tasks or behaviours you want the child to focus on.
Each time the child does well they are given a star sticker, and once a certain number of stars are obtained, they are rewarded with a small gift. Giving praise for good behaviour is another way of turning things around. If children are only given attention when they do something wrong, they may continue to behave badly.
Praising children when they do something nice or helpful can not only help to improve their behaviour, but can also promote confidence and contentment. If your child does something naughty, try to ignore it. If they do something nice, lots of attention and cuddles will go a long way.