Why "Bad" Behavior Is Always A Signal
Parents frequently ask hosts Emily and Kathy about how to stop bad behaviors, and the answer they give is
often a surprise...
Kathy explains that refusals, tantrums, whining and fighting or are not mindless acts of disobedience intended to push your buttons. Actually, these challenging behaviors can be seen as signals.
It’s why responding with conventional parenting strategies like timeouts and rewards won’t work in these moments. The truth is, these responses can reinforce the behavior. But when parents responding to the core need, they see cooperation increase.
Whether your child battles against tidy ups, mealtimes or showers, (or all of these!), tune into The Hand in Hand Parent Club Podcast this week.
Unpack what your child is really trying to tell you when their behavior gets challenging.
Tune In To Hear:
- Three questions you can ask yourself as soon as your child pushes back
- Identifying patterns in bad behavior: Is it repetitive or a one-off response and how you can use that information before you respond
- Why a “juicy connection” can dissolve stubborn or defiant behavior
- How to hold space for a child’s feelings even if you can’t identify what’s upsetting them
- Why a fight about an iPad is not really about an iPad…
- What your child is really saying when they rage, fight back or cry about things they are normally happy to do
- How to set and hold a limit to get to the heart of what’s underneath a child’s behavior
- Why these strategies support your child’s emotional well-being so that they can get past the behavior, find calm, and co-operate.
One Small Thing…
Stay tuned to the end of the episode, when Kathy and Emily invite you to try one small thing this week that will help you handle challenging behavior.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Emily shares this post, by Sabira Juma, about the causes behind children's challenging behaviors: The Hidden Causes Behind Your Child's Bad Behavior – And How To Stop It
Rate, Review, & Follow On Apple:
If you would like more parents to find Hand in Hand Parenting then please consider rating this podcast on Apple podcasts. Your rating helps us reach more parents and support them as they invite more warm connection into their families.
Click here, and tap to rate. Choose “Write a Review,” and tell us what you most enjoyed about the episode.
And then hit “follow” so you don't miss an episode.
Prefer Spotify or Stitcher?
New episodes
We publish new episodes on Tuesdays.