Elementary school children and good behavior are not often spoken in the same sentence. Children can really test the limits of their parents and sometimes even their teachers. However, there are a few ways to help them stay off of the naughty list.
All parents dread the infamous “terrible twos†and soon after realize that it does not ever stop. Our kids are seemingly testing our limits at every turn. Why can’t they just listen? It is very simple to just follow instructions.
I often wonder this when my daughter is not toeing the line. I think to myself about how great she has it. She does not have to think about how to make ends meet this month, what the family is going to eat, if the car has enough gas to get to work, etc. Her only concern is how can I get more iPad time?
I then return to the old saying about how idle hands are the devil’s instruments. She is not trying to wreck my life, she is simply bored. One way I have combated this is to give her some ownership in the day-to-day business of the house. Everyday she is assigned a room to dust. After that, she can pick something she wants to do.
Choosing an age appropriate chore seems to really help her stay focused on my instructions. I even give her feedback after she is done. I want her to learn how to take criticism and use it to get better at her job. It was rough at first, but she grasped it very quickly. Not to mention, during this 30 minute window of time and for a spell afterwards, she behaves perfectly.
At school she has always done very well because she loves to make people smile and hear the teachers say how sweet she is. However, I know every teacher will not be dripping praise and that is why I am taking the strategy that I am within the walls of our home. If she can accept praise and criticism, she will not act out against it. Lots of kids act out trying to get praise and when they do not get it, they misbehave because they know they will always get attention that way.
We need to make our children understand when they are doing well and also teach them that they are not always going to be perfect. When we teach them to accept feedback and to utilize it, they are less likely to act our for attention and ultimately behave much better.