| Hearing the news that you're going to have a baby is | | | | parent so your child can grow to be a responsible |
| an incredible experience. Once you got the good news, | | | | adult. |
| you probably spent hours thinking about what your | | | | The best way to give your child guidance in this area is |
| baby would look like, the activities you'd share, and the | | | | to establish some structure in your home. Instead of |
| name you would give to him or her. So it can be quite | | | | fighting for control of the house with your child, simply |
| a shock when your baby is finally born and you soon | | | | take control - you are the parent, after all. Teach your |
| discover that you have a defiant child. | | | | child problem-solving skills and accountability instead of |
| Parents with defiant children face a unique problem in | | | | trying to improve his or her feelings. |
| that they have to realize that the reality of parenting | | | | In my experience as a parent, teacher, and coach, I've |
| doesn't match up with the fantasies they previously | | | | found that children don't respond to attempts to raise |
| had. You may have imagined your child being | | | | their self-esteem with the goal of reducing their |
| respectful, clean, and well-mannered, but there's a | | | | negative behavior. From where I stand, the opposite |
| good chance that things didn't pan out that way. | | | | seems to be true. |
| Before any changes can happen, the parent of a | | | | Children build self-esteem by acting appropriately and |
| defiant child needs to come to terms with the fact that | | | | receiving positive feedback, especially in the case of |
| their little angel might not be so sweet after all. | | | | defiant children. Teach these children to solve their |
| If your child is defiant in the face of your disciplinary | | | | problems and respect the consequences of their |
| actions then you should try to realize as soon as | | | | actions and you'll be teaching them to behave properly. |
| possible that you're not a perfect parent and your child | | | | With your child learning these fundamental lessons, he |
| isn't perfect either. The best thing you can do for him | | | | or she will act out less and you will enjoy a more |
| or her in this case is to learn to be the right kind of | | | | respectful relationship. |