Although every child misbehaves at times, some children act out more than others. Frequent and/or long-lasting temper tantrums, hostility toward authority figures, trouble in school, recklessly damaging property, or threatening harm to himself or to others are warning signs that could mean a child has a behavior problem. According to University of Michigan Health System, while it is normal for a child to demonstrate some level of anger and aggression, excessive displays of these traits could signal an emotional problem.
Step 1
Talk to your child's pediatrician so that she can rule out any underlying medical conditions that might be causing your child's behavior problems. A health professional can refer you to therapists and other resources for help if your child's behavior is out of control.
Step 2
Attend family therapy if you think that the family dynamics are affecting your child's behavior. Family therapy can also be beneficial for the other family members if your child's behavior is negatively affecting the family as a whole. A family therapist can begin to help your child while at the same time giving you the tools you need to better manage your child's behavior.
Step 3
Inquire about anger management classes for your child. A therapist should be able to give you more information. Classes for young children with behavioral problems are usually planned to show children how to be kind to others and share. Sometimes these classes also include training sessions to help parents learn techniques for helping to improve a child's behavior.
Step 4
Discuss your child's behavior with her teacher. Like parents and other adult caregivers, teachers sometimes reinforce a child's bad behavior in the classroom by giving the child attention for negative behavior. One strategy is to ignore the child's behavior as long as it does not put the child's safety or that of others at risk. The American Academy of Family Physicians says one of the most effective ways for dealing with a child's misbehavior is to ignore it. Accept that it may take time to change your child's behavior. The school therapist might be able to offer other ways to encourage desirable behavior.
Step 5
Set realistic goals for your child so that he can accomplish good behavior. Focus on rewarding wanted behavior rather than punishing inappropriate behavior. Give your child positive reinforcement whenever he behaves well. Child psychologist, Dr. Jacob Azerrad, recommends looking for behavior that indicates a growing sense of responsibility. Establish reasonable consequences for unacceptable behavior. Be firm but kind when responding to a child's problem behavior. Consistency is another essential component when it comes to helping your child to behave appropriately.
