There are very few guarantees in this world, however, you can bet your bottom dollar that one of those guarantees is that kids are going to misbehave. This is how they learn to navigate the world around them, and while that is true, some behaviors should be stopped immediately.
No child, or person for that matter, is perfect. On the contrary, we all have our moments. With that said, as parents, it’s our job to help our children to grow into the best possible human beings. A major part of that is teaching them the difference between right and wrong and instilling discipline into them. Some behaviors can be overlooked as normal misbehavior, but if you notice your child doing the following, you should do something about it immediately.
1. Entitlement.
It’s perfectly normal to want to give your child the world. Just be careful that you do not overindulge them, or else you will end up with a spoiled brat. Instead of giving them everything they want, without question, give them an allowance and teach them how their money works, so they can save up for what they want.
2. Disrespect.
Disrespect should be stopped immediately because it is a display of your child not considering how others feel. If you notice your child being rude or backtalking adults, pull them to the side and let them know that if they continue, there will be consequences (whether that be a loss of privileges or whatever the case may be.)
3. Cruelty.
If you notice your child being cruel, to other kids or animals or whatever the case may be this behavior should be stopped immediately. Do not reward this behavior. The more this behavior is overlooked, the harder it will be to put it to a stop.
4. Aggression.
Much like cruelty, aggression should be put to a stop. However, be wary of how you approach hitting (as far as punishments go) because if you hit them back, you likely are going to struggle even more with aggression. Try to implement other consequences.
5. Lying.
All kids lie at some point-especially younger, more imaginative kids. But, if they make a habit of it- be sure to very clearly put it to a stop.
6. Laziness.
Work to instill responsibility into your child. You can give them simple, age-appropriate chores to do at a young age. It doesn’t have to be a major task, just something simple like picking up their toys will suffice.