– By Dr. Jetson Satya Gospel
It is quite natural and normal for a child to be adamant however, this doesn’t make the parent’s hardships any less. It can be quite difficult to convince the kid to do something as simple as sleep, take a bath or eat which finally leads to a disagreement. Maintaining this could seem like a burden. It is important to make the child realize the consequences of such behaviour. To encourage children to pay attention to you, you must also recognize the worth of the consistent effort and moral behaviour.
Here are 10 strategies for dealing with an adamant child:
- Avoid being the parent who starts fights: Listen carefully to anything your kid has to say and transform it into a discussion rather than a contention.
- Connect with your kid: Try sitting in front of the TV with your child for a while if you think they should quit watching TV and focus on homework instead. Once you’ve established some rapport, your child will start to paying attention to you.
- Give them options: Offer them choices at play and study. This would make them feel that they have control over their lives. They will appreciate the autonomy in what they do.
- Empathize with your child: Consider what your child sees as the most important issue to address and then try to understand why they are acting so adamantly.
- Harmony at home: Ensure that your house is where your kid feels cheerful, good, and secure. Be courteous to everybody at home, particularly your partner, as kids observe us continuously and try to imitate us and also learn from us.
- Reach an agreement: Instead of imposing firm boundaries, try to negotiate with them. For instance, if the child insists on hearing two stories before bed, attempt to come to an agreement whereby he can choose one story for this evening and the other for another night.
- Encourage positive behavior: Appreciate good things that your child does. It encourages him to repeat such behaviour. By having positive attitude yourself, you set an example for your child. If you frequently use the words “no”, “won’t” your child is likely to follow the same.
- Plan schedules: Setting up and following a regular plan for your child will help towards improving your child’s manners and academic performance week after week.
- Set down rules and expectations: Explain the rules to your child and what you expect out of him. But take note that although consistency is crucial, this should not imply rigidity. Being flexible, when circumstances require, is equally vital.
- Tell them a story: Explain model behaviour through stories. Stories could include your life story as well.
Let this day be a start to your parenting life story from a new paradigm
References
- Burket, R. C., Cox, D. J., Tam, A. P., Ritterband, L., Borowitz, S., Sutphen, J., … & Kovatchev, B. (2006). Does” stubbornness” have a role in pediatric constipation?. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 27(2), 106-111.
- Hosseini, S., Naziri, G., & Rozdar, E. (2014). Effectiveness of Storytelling therapy on the reduction of aggression and stubbornness in children with oppositional defiant disorder.
- Stormshak, E. A., Bierman, K. L., McMahon, R. J., & Lengua, L. J. (2000). Parenting practices and child disruptive behavior problems in early elementary school. Journal of clinical child psychology, 29(1), 17-29.
