| In most cases, when a child misbehaves, the parents | | | | consequences. Make sure your child deeply |
| don't usually think that they are to blame. If you are | | | | understands that you are always there for him, and will |
| dealing with child misbehavior perhaps you just | | | | always support him. But when he gets knocked down, |
| consider it to be a stage of your child's development. | | | | he has to stand up on his own. Teach your child to |
| However, when misbehavior happens too often and it | | | | face consequences honorably and be ready to make |
| has become a problem, parents start thinking, "Where | | | | up for his mistakes. Shielding your child from the harsh |
| did I go wrong? I should have done something | | | | realities of life can only harm him in the long run. |
| differently." | | | | Instead of blaming yourself for your child's misbehavior, |
| If you are blaming yourself for your child's misbehavior, | | | | it's better to understand that your child needs to take |
| you're wasting time on something that isn't going to | | | | ownership for his own actions. Teach this |
| help solve your problem. Simply ask yourself if you | | | | understanding to your child - gently, without yelling. You |
| have done, to the best of your ability and knowledge, | | | | are a teacher, not a prison guard. I'm not saying to |
| the best job that you could do (at the time). I'm not | | | | become a softy... because you still need to enforce |
| asking you if you did a perfect job, just if you did your | | | | consequences... but there's no value in losing your |
| best at that moment in time. Next, ask yourself if you | | | | temper while you are explaining a logical consequence |
| intentionally hurt your child either physically or | | | | to your child. |
| emotionally. If the answer is "yes", you have some | | | | Should I Excuse My Child's Misbehavior if he has a |
| self-control issues to work out. But otherwise, your | | | | Disorder? |
| intentions were healthy. Perhaps you simply need | | | | Children with disorders like ADHD shouldn't get a free |
| better tools to develop more effective results. | | | | pass to misbehave. You may have to be more patient |
| Blaming yourself for behavior problems is not going to | | | | with your child but that is the extent of it. ADHD kids |
| help. It's far more effective to spend your time learning | | | | still understand behavioral rules and need to learn to |
| new tools. | | | | solve their own problems while behaving in an |
| As a parent, you cannot live your child's life, and you | | | | acceptable manner. Blaming the "disorder" is not going |
| can't make your child live his life according to your | | | | to do you any good. |
| desires. It's not your life. You can bring a horse to | | | | The best thing you can do, as a parent, is to learn. |
| water, but you can't make him drink You can give your | | | | Continuing education is critical to your success. It never |
| child everything he needs to be ready to face life's | | | | ends. What you can do is learn better parenting skills |
| challenges, but it's still up to him to make use of what | | | | that can improve your child's behavior. Some parents |
| has been provided. | | | | think they are failures in parenting. What they do not |
| You are there to guide and not dominate. Your child | | | | know is that you only needs the right tools, and a |
| should learn how to make decisions as he grows older | | | | healthy level of desire, to be a great parent. |
| and learn that those decisions come with | | | | |