The picture of a 10-year-old boy whose mom had him fake arrested for bad behavior at school has gone viral, resulting in millions of people weighing in on whether she made the right decision. And while it's important not to judge a mom's choice when trying to teach her son a lesson, there are methods you can try should you find yourself in a situation where you're deeply concerned about your child's behavioral issues.
1. Stop Feeling Like You're Failing
First of all, stop feeling like you're failing as a parent. The fact that you want to help your child means you care and want to do what's right for him.
There are many factors that can affect your child's behavior. They can be external, like friends you don't approve of, or even medical. It's important that you recognize that you're not a failure so you can turn your focus to your child.
2. Be Ready to Change Your Discipline Strategy
Ignoring your child's issues won't make them go away. But the wrong forms of discipline could make them worse.
From identifying your parenting style to changing your strategy, be ready to learn new techniques on how to discipline a child. Your approach to discipline will have a profound effect on your child so make sure you're disciplining your child the right way.
3. Encourage Your Child
If your child is having issues, you probably feel like all you ever do is yell at him. Of course, you have to voice your opinion on what he's doing wrong.
You can also voice your opinion on what he's doing right. Encourage your child when he's doing positive things. You don't want to blow the praise out of proportion or he'll see right through it but giving him more encouragement helps point out the good things he does while making him feel even better about himself.
4. Make Time for Your Child Every Day
There are many simple activities you should do together every day with your child. These can have an amazing, positive effect on your child's behavior.
Try these family activities for a month and watch the transformation. Not every day has to be a major event, like a birthday or holiday, for you to sneak in some moments that make him realize how important you and your influence are in his life.
5. Recognize Which Battles You Want to Fight
Choose your battles, as they say. You can't win every parenting struggle so don't even try.
But if your child is in danger, of course, you need to step in. When you see him veering off in a negative direction, redirect him. Just realize you don't have to win every parenting battle in order to win the war.
6. Teach Kids How to Deal with Their Feelings
We often think of our kids as grown ups in tiny bodies. But they're continually changing and developing.
Many times kids act out because they don't know how to deal with the many emotions they experience on a daily basis. Teach kids how to deal with their feelings so that they can learn to use their words instead of actions to get their point across and always be willing to listen to them when they do try to express those emotions to you.
7. Get Your Kids to Listen
One of the many struggles we all face as parents is getting our kids to listen. Those cute little ears don't always work and when those sassy mouths get involved, it's even harder to get through to them.
Get your kids to listen to what you're saying so you can teach them right and wrong more effectively. It's never too late to instill this strategy so that your kids always know that when you talk, they should hear what you have to say.
8. Connect Through Conversations
When was the last time you sat and talked to your child -- really talked to your child? Try 10 conversations you should have with your child to really connect with each other.
Kids often view us as the parents we are, thinking that we're lecturers who are completely unapproachable. By opening the door with easy, yet meaningful conversations, you never what they will open up and say to you.
9. Raising a Brat
If your child is misbehaving, it's easy to wonder if you're raising a brat. However, you can still turn it around for your child.
Nix that bratty behavior now before it gets worse. You'll be well on your way to raising a compassionate person who wants to make you happy while helping others.
10. Talk to Your Pediatrician
You worry and you're trying so hard to raise a child who will turn into a responsible adult. But you can't always do that on your own.
When you feel like you're out of options and need some extra help, talk to your pediatrician. She is there to help and has seen her fair share of behavioral issues in children. Your pediatrician can not only give you some advice, she can also recommend testing and refer you to other children's experts who specialize in the problems you've been trying to handle on your own.