Patricia asks…

“My 5 year old son is constantly challenging my husband and me. He does not listen when I ask him to do something. When I take him shopping with me he constantly runs about the shop, picking things up and dropping them on the floor. When I ask him why he did it, he just says ‘because I wanted to’.

Mass on Sundays is another battle — constant standing, sitting, moving, talking, then roaring, annoying others who want to hear the mass. When someone talks he keeps interrupting, even myself and my husband. When he eats, he drops foods he doesn’t want on the floor and I end up cleaning it up.

I am at the end of my tether with him, I am constantly stressed out over it… If you have any guidance or help I would most welcome it.”

How to get your kids to behave — it’s a problem every parent faces. The answer is good habits… that’s the key to everything.

Get everything you want into good habits so they know and expect what’s coming…

“Talky-time” at bed-time is a great example of a good habit for children. Start with a short story and then talk about the day.

Keep in mind what you want to say to him but don’t force it — let it come in the conversation naturally if you can. Use talky-time to talk about how you feel about the day and get him to talk about how he feels. Over time, this will give you an amazing bond…

Another thing is to tell him IN ADVANCE, the behavior you expect and WHY. Draw up a list of unacceptable behavior and go through it with him so he knows what is expected. Continue reading “How to get your kids to behave” →