Spoiling & Discipline
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Six Signs of Spoiling
- Your child does not follow rules.
- Your child does not respond to “no” or “stop”.
- Your child protests or says “no” to everything.
- Your child gets bored and frustrated easily.
- Your child is demanding and wants to have things their own way all the time.
- You child throws temper tantrums.
Effective Discipline Tips to Avoid Brat Attacks
- Be consistent in your methods of discipline and how you punish your child. This applies to all caregivers. Your child should learn to understand that there are predictable consequences for his/her actions.
- Be clear so that your child knows what you expect from them. Give warnings you are prepared to follow through.
- Set limits that are appropriate for your child’s age and developmental level. Remember that you are in charge and that you will have to say “No” to your child sometimes. It’s quite normal for your child to cry or have a temper tantrum when he/she does not get his/her way.
- Don’t give in to your child when they are whining, crying or having a temper tantrum. If you do, it will only teach them that this kind of behaviour is an appropriate way to get what they want.
- Set up a daily routine for your younger children and try to stick to it each day. This should include meal times, snacks and bedtimes.
- Do not offer choices in situations where your child has to comply with your rules. For example, instead of saying, “Do you want to take a bath?” you should say, “It is time for a bath.”
- Learn to ignore minor, harmless or unimportant misbehaviour, such as fidgeting. Be flexible, especially with older children and adolescents. Listen and get your child’s input on some rules and responsibilities.
- Ignore tantrums as long as your child is not in danger. Praise your child when they meet expectations. This means that you attend to the behaviours you want to increase and you ignore the behaviours you want to decrease.
- Expect respect as a parent and demonstrate respect in return.
- Model your emotions such as talking calmly to your child when they have disappointed you and when you enact consequences.