Children behavior is not genetic; it is more of a learned feature. Children learn about the world they live in from a fresh viewpoint, including their behaviors. They tend to learn their behaviors, and to say that behavior is a result of their personalities or temperaments is untrue. For this reason children need to learn which behavior has to be learned and which not to engage in.
Are parents a role model?
It is widely known that children will imitate what parents do. They watch the way the parents behave and try to emulate those things in their life. Thus it is aptly said that parents model behavior for their kids. For example, small kids love to play ‘cooking’ or ‘house’ games where they emulate what they see in their homes. The same holds true of behaviors. If they see their parents shouting at each other, and they see that this is a regular phenomenon, they will automatically think that this type of behavior is ‘acceptable’. Children will exhibit this ‘acceptable’ behavior in the society without understanding its repercussions, because for them it is ‘acceptable’.
How does environment affect child’s behavior?
The environment in which a child grows has a significant impact on his future. This environment is not only confined to their house, but also to the neighborhood they are living in. If a child is living in an environment where abuse and neglect exist, he or she can have long-term emotional problems like depression or eating disorders. Children may also develop violent behavior too.
Is strict parenting necessary?
Strict parenting is subject to the degree of being ‘strict’. An environment where the children’s views just don’t matter can have negative effect on children behavior. This is because a strict parent will have rules for everything including how and what to eat for food. He or she may not be allowed to leave the table without finishing food. Such children are likely to become obese. Imposing yourself on your child for making small decisions such as what shoes to wear for a party is simply ridiculous.
How good is moderate parenting?
Moderate parenting is the best way to have positive children behavior. Kids who have parents with an approach to moderate parenting are very well adjusted in life. Moderate parenting is when even though you have rules in the house, you do consider your child’s opinion. This means that your child is given the freedom to express himself or herself within the defined rules of your house and so knows how to set the boundaries. This way, children will never breach the rules and would still enjoy the fact that they are also an important member of the family.
Neighborhood influences
It is very important to live in the right neighborhood, as neighborhood influences are quite significant on children behavior. Children, who come from violent neighborhood, are more likely to participate in negative activities like gang fights. On the other hand, a positive neighborhood will encourage the children to be socially active, and mentally and physically fast. The peer pressure will make them do good things.
How to regulate children behavior?
By setting clear expectations and communicating precisely with the children, parents can effectively regulate the children behavior. In order to correct children behavior parents should have a plan. This is because children need to understand as to why their behavior was not good. They don’t want to be pointed out that they ‘shouldn’t do it’. You should clearly communicate your expectations to the children. You should tell them what kind of behavior they should engage in instead of the wrong behavior they are exhibiting. If children won’t know why what they did was wrong, they are likely not to follow parental advise. They will never understand the significance of right children behavior.
How to discipline children?
While disciplining your child, it is important that you don’t lose your temper. If you lose temper, they will not be able to understand the appropriate behavior that you are trying to teach. Moreover getting angry only makes communication more ineffective and difficult. You have to ensure that the discipline that you are trying to impose on children is not only appropriate for the offense, but also it is consistent. For example if you usually punish your child for not doing their homework by not letting him watch his favorite TV serial, you should not spank him another day if you are in a bad mood. This inconsistent discipline will lead to more problems in children behavior.
