Secret to eliminate bad habits in children in just 1 week

Many parents always feel a headache when faced with their children's bad behavior. The following article will suggest ways to correct your child's overreactions in just 1 short week with the help of leading experts.

Day 1: No reaction

"The mistake many parents make is to react immediately to their child's misbehavior," said Dr. Ed Christophersen, a clinical child psychologist at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri.

The right way to handle this situation is for parents to stay calm. Don't let your child feel that their behavior can attract your attention, but pretend not to see or hear until they calm down.

Children understand that whining or crying loses its appeal when parents do not show interest in it.

Day 2: Always keep a positive attitude

Robin HC, family coach and author of “Thinking Your Way to Happy!”

“When you evaluate your child, make sure it is positive so they know they have something to strive for,” he says. Avoid negative thoughts about your child's behavior.

Getting angry, frustrated or rushing to punish are common mistakes parents make in the process of eliminating bad behavior in children.

Day 3: Get it done

Dr. Jayne Bellando, also a child psychiatrist at Arkansas Children's Hospital, demonstrates the importance of setting a good example for children.

If you want your children to follow good behavior and grow up to be mature, you must be a role model for them to look up to. Later on, you will find that your mark is an important factor in influencing your children's daily behavior.

Day 4: Explain Before Punishing

“Children act out for a reason,” says Gary M. Unruh, author of “Unleashing the Power of Parental Love.” “That’s why it’s important to understand the emotions that drive bad behavior, and then show your child the consequences of those behaviors. This will help your child feel accepted and understood, even when he or she is punished for bad behavior.”

Parents should give children the opportunity to explain and clarify what they want to express before simply giving punishment. This helps children understand that you love them but still have to punish them for misbehaving.

Day 5. Be Consistent

“Parents need to be consistent in their thinking and avoid momentary outbursts,” advises Bertie Bregman, director of family medicine services at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. You can’t be calm and steady one day and then yell and be unfair the next.

Day 6: Sometimes the rules have to change

If your child's bad behavior is consistent with the same pattern, experts recommend changing the rules. "You just have to deal with breaking the old rules and setting new ones," says Catherine Hickem, author of "Regret Free Parenting."

Instead of allowing the same routines that always cause problems, change your rules! If your child is consistently frustrated with TV time, it's time to make a change.

Day 7: Relax

This is a time for you to look back and see how much improvement your child’s bad behavior has achieved. Take your child on a picnic or to the park on the weekend and you will be surprised to see that the whining, crying, tantrums… finally disappear.

According to Danviet