What to Do With A Bratty Kid

Let's face it. There is nothing worse then your bratty little kid throwing a tantrum in public. It makes you wonder what kind of monster he or she will grow up to be. Sometime you can see a bully or master manipulator about to flower. It can be unpleasant.

Some bad behavior is normal. Toddlers always hit each other and shove each other around. It is also normal for them to grab things whenever they can. However it is not normal for a six year old to be doing the same things. Maturity is growing out of the bad behaviors associated with being a toddler.

A toddler that pushes another might seem like a bully but this is normal behavior. However if an eight year old does it then it is time to show some discipline. Step in and stop the behavior.

There are lots of reasons a kid can be badly behaved and not all of them are your fault. You can gently encourage your child to play nicely with other children and punish him or her if they are violent, grabby or pushy. Explain all about behavior in your best baby talk. This will help them learn how to mature into a nice six year old.

Whiny toddlers can grow up to be rude teenagers. It is okay for a toddler to think they are the center of the universe but it is not so attractive in an older kid. You do not want your fourteen year old to think that the world revolves around her and nobody else and that they can do whatever they want to.

One thing I learned is that it is a big mistake to reward any behavior like this. Never cave in to a bratty kid. If you reward bad behaviors the kid will never ever stop them. Reprimand the child without being rude yourself. Explain why the behavior was wrong and why they might be distracting or upsetting to others.
Don't feel bad having to discipline a child for being a brat. You are, in the end, teaching him or her to have good manners. Don't let your child interrupt when someone else is talking. Make him or her say 'thank you and please.' Explain to your kid how having good manners makes others more inclined to help him or her in the world.

Don't forget the other side of the coin! You should also be specific with congratulations and praise if your kid does well. Reward him or her for acting appropriately in social setting. Be a good role model and you child will follow your example. That means no throwing tantrums for you either!

Parenting Tips
, , , , , , ,

Why Your Second Child Acts A Little Wierd

When you gave birth to your first child you were all excited and exuberant. You probably did every little thing right. You probably took vitamins, went to Yoga and made sure that every single moment of that first born's first few moments were photographs.

Then came your second child. You forgot to avoid fat and caffeine. You gave birth to the kid but you are simply not as vigilant or as enthusiastic as you were with the first kid. Does this mean that there is something wrong with you?

The answer is no. There is even a name for this type of behavior. It is called Second Child Syndrome. The term was coined by a famous Austrian psychologist named Alfred Adler. He had a theory that children developed different character traits according to their birth order.

Normally the first child is new to you so you are naturally driven to applaud its every new moment. The first born is often the apple of the mother's eye. However when the second child comes many mothers have more of a 'been there, done that' type of attitude. The baby picks up on this and feels less recognized or appreciated then the first born. Soon he begins to develop resentful feelings for his sibling. In fact, treating the first born better than the second born, even on a subconscious level, can affect the second born's self-esteem and create feelings of sibling rivalry.

Another factor in this is looking after two kids at once. Ultimately one kid always gets ignored. Usually it is the younger one. This is usually because the older one has more confidence, is more demanding and usually gets his or her way.

This is why the second child acts a little weird. He or she can be a loner and not that great at cooperating with others. They tend to get in more trouble and get really upset if you compare them to the older child. The second child will build walls around him or herself and develop a negative attitude. They can be angry, sullen and sarcastic. Many of them have problems performing because they feel they are under too much pressure and cannot possibly live up to the image of the first born (who from his or her point of view, you love much better!)

For all of these reasons it does not hurt to give the middle child a little more attention every now and then. Just even an extra hour or two spent with him or her can make a big difference and help prevent your little one from developing huge emotional and personality dysfunctions in the future.

Parenting Tips
, , , , , , ,