We know that when a girl is too bossy and has a guy on such a tight leash that he is at her beck and call, people say he's lost his man card and...well... let's face it... this is not a good thing. Yet... what about when your 3 or 4 year old is just as bossy and you will do anything just to please him/her? I say you've lost your parent card and you need to reclaim it. As a parent you are (or should be) the boss of the family, not your little child.
When I see a young child lash out and hit a parent just because the child is annoyed, and the parent does nothing, it makes me disapointed. Why does that 3 or 4 year old feel entitled to hit a parent? Why is that behavior allowed? Why don't parents do more to get rid of those inappropriate behaviors?
How do I do that you ask? Start by setting boundries, and let your child know there are consequences for negative actions. Also, ask yourself when these behaviors will no longer be acceptable; will they be acceptable until your child is 6 years old? what about 8 years old? and then what? At that age you suddenly tell them it's not ok. How confusing.
How do I do that you ask? Start by setting boundries, and let your child know there are consequences for negative actions. Also, ask yourself when these behaviors will no longer be acceptable; will they be acceptable until your child is 6 years old? what about 8 years old? and then what? At that age you suddenly tell them it's not ok. How confusing.
It's one thing when children have real emotional or behavior issues which manifest themselves in undesirable behaviors, but it's quite another story to have an unruly child and let them get away with acting that way. Clearly I am not the only one who has noticed that we have become a society that is too lenient with their children. The show Super Nanny features different families every week who desperately need help deaing with children with potty mouths and out of control behaviors. And last week Dr. Phil did a series entitled "How To Be a Better Parent". Not only did he do the shows, but there are some advice articles as well regarding better parenting.
In order to make a change, you need to understand how you parent to know what your parenting strengths and weaknesses are. A little re-evaluation can go a long way. To help you get started below is a link from Dr. Phil to help you understand your parenting style. It has interesting questions that allow you to take a look at your role as a parent and expectations you have towards your child. So go ahead and check it out:
