Dealing with Misbehavior: One Valuable Word

A toddler has a melt down at the store, a preschooler throws his toys, a tween bangs the door…What’s a parent to do to deal with all this misbehavior.  What if we were to forget all those counting methods, the isolation, the need to teach a lesson and  focus on this one word:

Acceptance

I love this word. It sits in my heart for many reasons. There are so many moments in parenting that we cannot change or control. I have long accepted that needing to control children is unnecessary. It is ultimately an undesirable if not impossible feat.  What really what matters in our daily interaction and most of all in the long run is for us to co-exist in peace and harmony while respecting one another as individuals.

Using acceptance as the first step to overcome whatever challenge we face as parents can go such a long way. If a child has a tantrum, throws something, bangs, breaks or otherwise does something that could be called a Misbehavior then we can:

Accept that children have limitations

Accept that children have needs

Accept that those needs may not be being met

Accept that children will at times be frustrated, angry, mad, sad...

Accept that children will at times be exuberant, loud, annoying...

Accept that children should and will challenge our reasons

Accept that children have their own thoughts and feeling

Accept that children need an outlet for their thoughts and feelings

Accept that many such behaviors are a developmentally appropriate

Now, this does not mean allowing mayhem or being permissive. On the contrary, this means that as parents it is our responsibility to provide a safe environment for our children with certain limits and guidelines. We should be aware of our children’s needs and be pro-active in meeting them. (I note there is a huge distinction between needs & wants) We can give them opportunities to explore their loudness and exuberance and help them learn to deal with their strong emotions.

No matter if a child is, loud, scaling the furniture, melting down at the store, frustrated, mad, banging doors, crying, pushing, shoving, biting, yelling, talking balk or acting out…ultimately what they really need more than being taught a lesson, more than being sent to time out, more than being lectured or losing a privilege is acceptance. From that moment on…when we accept THEM for who they are and what they are feeling and dealing with in the here and now, we can then move on to validate them and seek to understand. 

When we start with acceptance, no matter what the misbehavior, we can then choose a path to deal, heal, guide and re-connect.

Peace & Be Well,

Dealing with Misbehavior: One Valuable Word