Coping with your Children’s Challenging Behaviors

Written By Catherine Michael

Raising children, especially if they are facing some challenges, can provide some of the most overwhelming, exciting, scary, frustrating, and wondrous times of your life.  However, you might not feel so filled with loving wonder when your kids are going through phases that are disappointing, frustrating, and challenging on several levels.

We spend a lot of time talking about positive behavioral interventions at school but how can you effectively handle these challenging behaviors and maintain that loving feeling?

Use these strategies:

  •         Ignore insignificant occurrences. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

  •         Refrain from raising your voice. Instead, lower your voice to get their attention.

  •         Collect your thoughts to consider a wise response

  •         Take a short break to get away for a few minutes when you need to

  •         Identify the specific annoyance. Is it something they’re saying or doing?

  •         Discuss the behavior during a calmer time

  •         Determine age-appropriate consequences for the misbehavior and be consistent in applying them

  •         Rather than thinking about perfection, focus on progress

  •         Prohibit physical fighting between kids or lengthy yelling sessions

  •         Treat your children with respect, regardless of how young they are

For additional positive parenting tips and tools, join us on Saturday mornings at 10:00 a.m. EST or Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. EST at www.coffeewithcatherine.com

Catherine Michael
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