Why is my child so irritable and disrespectful?
This question is divided into two parts: "why is your child angry" and "why is your child disrespectful".
The solution to the second question is simpler than the first.
Anger can influence judgment and perceptions of who is to blame for unpleasant situations. When a youngster is furious, there is a sense of conviction that you are in the wrong, which makes it difficult for them to show respect.
Furthermore, children's emotional regulation skills are still developing. As a result, it is quite difficult for an angry child to behave politely.
Handling their children's rage can be perplexing, tiring, and unpleasant for adults.
We were taught as children that being angry was wrong, and we were frequently punished or yelled at for expressing it.
We were never taught how to properly deal with or express our rage. As a result, when confronted with a child's wrath, we frequently become furious ourselves.
Furthermore, the disrespect displayed by children during such times makes it even more difficult for parents to control our own emotions.
Now that we know where the disrespect originates from, let's look at how we can use science to cope with angry child behavior.
How to Handle an Angry, Disobedient Child
1. Do Not Become Angry
Disrespectful child behavior may incite your rage.
You might want to reprimand your youngster or yell, "How dare you talk to me that way!"
It is unusual that using rude reactions to teach respect works. disrespectful adults can aggravate situations just as well as disrespectful children.
You must set a good example. Show children how to remain calm and respectful in stressful situations.
When a child is angry, he or she is feeling intensely. When you are furious because you have been mistreated, you ignore your child's feelings while demanding that they heed to yours.
Children who are unable to control their rage require our assistance. Concentrate on that rather than our own rage. Doing what is best for our children is an important element of parenting. Putting our personal interests ahead of the children's is not acceptable.
How can you expect a child with a developing brain and weaker emotional management skills to keep calm in situations like this?
Emotions are also contagious 2. Your rage will exacerbate your child's rage.
So, first and foremost, maintain your cool.
Parents play critical responsibilities in educating their children how to deal with adversity.
If you're having problems staying calm, take a slow, deep, and attentive breath. Clear your mind and concentrate on teaching your child how to manage their anger first.
When the tempest has passed and everyone is calm, you can always return and teach them about respect.
2. Ensure that everyone is safe.
Out-of-control children may end up hurting others or themselves in the event of intense rage.
If your child exhibits physical violence, place them in a safe space and keep others, especially other children, at a safe distance.
If your child is throwing objects or hitting others, you must have physical control of them for their own and others' safety.
Simply hug them tightly and apologize. You definitely don't want a hug right now, but I need to keep you and others safe while also calming you down. Let us now work on it jointly. Take a deep, leisurely breath..."
3. Avoid Punishment
Discipline is a form of teaching. Punishing a child to do this is neither required nor effective.
Punishment does not teach your child how to regulate their rage and damages your parent-child bond. It will only make matters worse.
Physical punishment, such as spanking, is particularly detrimental to a child's growth.
Not only has spanking been shown to be ineffective at improving a child's conduct, but it has also been associated to 13 negative consequences, including aggression, mental health problems, reduced cognitive ability, and substance misuse.
Some parents believe that punishment is vital to teach children about the repercussions of defiance and disrespect.
There are mountains of research studies indicating that when it comes to disciplining children, teaching works better than punishing.
If a parent is aware of this but insists on employing punishment, there may be deeper issues at play. Are they truly punishing to teach or to retaliate for the child's anger?
4. Recognize Your Child's Anger
Recognizing your child's rage implies acknowledging that your youngster has feelings, even if they are unpleasant. It is also important to allow your youngster to accept their own emotions.
According to research, acknowledging emotions is a better coping approach than suppressing them. Acceptance as a coping method is associated with a higher tolerance for emotional suffering 6.
You might simply explain your child's feelings to acknowledge their rage. "You appear to be really angry. It's as though I don't care about your emotions."
One common mistake when admitting is to judge or try to change it later. "You're enraged," for example. It appears that I am unconcerned about your feelings, but this is not the case since... "
The word "but" is dreadful.
Don't include a "But..."
Feelings are neither correct or incorrect. It's still about you if you try to alter them or defend yourself; you're not respecting their feelings.
Children are frequently upset not because they do not get what they want, but because they do not feel heard. You are not truly honoring their feelings if you make it about what you think.
So, simply describe their emotions and leave it at that.
5. Inquire About the Source of Your Anger
Determine the source of your child's anger issues.
Sometimes it's just a small detail that doesn't go as planned. Long-term pent-up anger created by a poor parent-child relationship can also play a role. To establish the cause, ask probing inquiries quietly.
"Are you upset because you only wanted a snack before dinner?" You were hungry, but I wouldn't allow you, right?"
"Are you angry because I always ignore what you need?"
When you ask questions, you are teaching your child to name and express what they are feeling so that they will learn how to tell you instead of using harsh and disrespectful conduct or making sarcastic remarks to get their point across.
A child may be furious for a variety of reasons. They might use anger to avoid painful emotions like failure, low self-esteem, loneliness, or anxiety. You can only find out if you ask.
Continue gently exploring to find out why they are so unhappy.
