When Your Child Misbehaves

By Annette T. Durfee, Momivate's Atmosphere CouncilMom

Photo by Jordan Whitt on Unsplash

They all do it. You know - that thing that drives you up a wall!  No matter the age of your child and in spite of your best efforts, they inherently know exactly what button to push to get us to react.  And it seems that the more we push for them to stop it, the more they pull back until the tug of war has escalated and within seconds, the sense of peace and beauty that we so desire in our homes is ruined.  So what do we do?  How can we conquer this frustrating behavior that frays at our nerves, fuels our frustration, and tests the limits of our patience? 

​Here are a few ideas that I have found helpful.

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1. Take a break. 

Take a few steps back.  Retreat into my room for a few minutes – ALONE.  Breathe!  Regroup.  Punch a pillow if it helps!  Timeout for Mommy is not only healthy, but a sanity saver!  As you remove your presence from the child they also get a chance to recover and try again.  And while I take a break, I do what my knees were made for – I PRAY!  When mothering moments go awry, I need help from a higher power.  For me, this is God.  I have found that He is always there – never too busy for me, never burdened by yet another plea for help.  I pour out my heart with my worry, frustration, anger, and then, I LISTEN. 

​Sometimes I get an idea – I can see how I could have prevented the situation or how I could react in a better way next time or something simple I could do to help my child.  It may not be the entire solution to the problem, but it is enough to get me headed back in the right direction.  And as I implement that God-given idea, I regain confidence and my child and I regain a positive momentum.  Other times after prayer, I am left with a simple yet reassuring sense of peace: I can handle this.  I’ve got what it takes.  I am a good mother.  And other times, the answers aren't immediate but come along the way as God, my Father in Heaven goes behind-the-scenes with me and adds to my efforts.
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2. Become curious. 

​Ask, “Why?”  Why is my child behaving this way?  What could he or she be feeling right now?  What things are going on in this stage of their life that could cause this?  Is there a little sibling rivalry going on?  Is there a new baby that is diverting my attention? Perhaps something going on at school?  I wonder: what is hard for them?  How do they feel about themselves right now?  Is there something I could do or say that would help to redirect their attention to something positive?  When we become curious, we open up the door to the possible feelings of our children and we become more compassionate, empathetic, more loving.  We can even help them to feel supported by helping them voice their own feelings.  “Are you feeling sad, frustrated, lonely?  How can I help?”
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3. Model the behavior you want to see. 

​As hard as it may be to believe, it just may be that your child has not thought of a better way of doing things, even despite perpetual broken-record pleas from you.  They may be in need of a consistent example to follow.  Let’s say that your child has developed a habit of running through the house screaming.  Although it may make you feel like pulling your hair out and yelling back, muster the mentality to smile and speak with a calm and quiet voice instead.  “Let’s use our inside voices.” The important people in our children’s lives are like great big mirrors.  What our children see in us, we will also eventually see in them.  So, let’s be the best mirrors we can be accompanied with a smile, a hug, and a kiss.
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4. Shaping. 

​Whatever we give our children attention for they will repeat.  We already know that our children do the things that drive us bonkers often to get attention.  So why not turn it around and use this to our advantage?  Rather than handing out negative attention, we could choose to focus on those things that we want to continue and offer praise when we see them.  For example, when I wish that the children would not fight and argue, I notice and thank the child at a time when they are being a peacemaker.  “I love it when . . .”  You fill in the blanks.  My mom did this for me once in a simple way that stuck with me.  One day she gave me a Mr. Goodbar candy bar with the explanation, “because you’re so good.”  I didn’t know about shaping then, but every time I remembered that tasty treat, along with her other caring words and deeds, I felt like I was good and I tried to prove her correct!
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​5. Realize that we are not meant to control others.  
I think I all too often learned this lesson the hard way, scraping the heels of my feet as I skidded along the road of hard-won control.  As I struggled to learn a better way, I reflected often on a quintessential quote that I pinned on my Value Board: 

“Never let a problem to be solved, become more important than a person to be loved.”
-- Thomas S. Monson

Such a beautiful reminder!  This thought helped me to remember that the little people in my life were not bad, they were learning, just like I was learning how to mother with love. 

Our children will inevitably do things that we do not approve of and this is not, I repeat NOT an indicator that we have failed as parents. And while that means that at times we need to discipline, we can leave out the empty threats, arguing, bribery, fighting. 

Yes, our mission is not to control, but to teach, to influence, set an example, and - the best part of all - love them like crazy!