| When a couple has a new child, it is certainly a joyous | | | | without judgement or emotion. Parents need to |
| occasion. It is also a tremendous lifelong commitment. It | | | | enforce realistic punishment at the time of the bad |
| starts with the basic necessities of food, shelter, | | | | behavior, or else the toddler won't understand the |
| cuddling and clean diapers. It seems like hard word, but | | | | connection between the behavior and the |
| you quickly discover how easy the infant stage is | | | | consequences. |
| compared to the terrible twos and threes. During the | | | | Parents can also learn influential language skills when |
| toddler years, parents often deal with the stresses of | | | | their children are quite young, with a goal of learning |
| screaming kids, temper tantrums, and irrational | | | | how to influence the mood and behavior of the |
| demands. | | | | children. Language skills, for the purpose of influence, |
| Beyond the toddler years, until about the age of 6, | | | | are often taught to sales professionals, marketers, and |
| children learn to communicate quite well but still don't | | | | those who do professional presentations. There is |
| have a full sense of responsibility or logical | | | | absolutely no reason why these same skills can't be |
| understanding. Beyond the age of 6, children become | | | | used on young children to covertly direct their behavior |
| quite capable of appreciating their responsibilities. At | | | | and actions in a way that makes your life easier. The |
| this point, logic and reasoning can be used with greater | | | | key starting point for using these influence skills on |
| success by most parents. But for some parents, their | | | | children is to "enter your child's world". Always begin a |
| children become defiant, abusive, or obnoxious. Such | | | | dialogue by letting your child know that you understand |
| behavior problems can last through to the teens. If | | | | what they are saying or asking for. |
| these problems are not solved, they can lead to a | | | | Beyond the age of 6, tools of influence may not be |
| very unsuccessful adult life for your children. | | | | enough for the really tough cases of disobedient |
| So what is a parent to do in order to deal with these | | | | children. I believe that many child behavior issues are |
| various problems? How do parents arm themselves | | | | the result of kids not understanding how to solve their |
| with the right education and skill set? Here are some | | | | own problems. This belief was instilled in my by listening |
| basic recommendations. | | | | to the teachings of James Lehman, MSW. Once |
| First - the toddler years are ripe for setting up a loving | | | | children learn to solve their problems, the bad behavior |
| and nurturing family environment while simultaneously | | | | disappears. Therefore, as a parent, it is important to |
| instilling a sense of responsibility for bad behavior. | | | | keep in mind that one of your most important jobs is to |
| During these years it is absolutely critical to teach your | | | | teach your children how to solve their own problems. |
| children that they are unconditionally loved. it is also | | | | Kids can't be permitted to punch holes in the wall |
| important to deal with bad behavior effectively. This | | | | because they are depressed about something. They |
| means picking appropriate consequences (such as | | | | need to deal with the problem while still being held |
| "time outs"), and enforcing these consequences | | | | accountable to certain behavior standards. |