Dear Parents,

Behavioral issues can be one of the most challenging situations a parent can face. You love your child and know they have a kind and wonderful heart yet there are those occasions that they just frustrate you by completely being off their game.

I am going to discuss just one strategy for working on the challenge of ‘Behavioral Issues’. There are many things that could be causing this, but this is one that can really help, and I have found it effective through my 32+ years of teaching Martial Arts to children.

CONSISTENCY

Consistency is extremely important in a child’s growth and yet I sometimes see families where the rules and consequences change based on what’s happening at the time. As Adults, we can deal with these constant changes, yet I have found that for children it is confusing and unsettling. Constant Changes seem to create a situation where children are not quite sure what the rules are and often test their parents to see if there are any boundaries or if they will get away this time without consequences. Sometimes they just don’t feel grounded and secure.

Have you ever been in a situation where you aren’t sure what was going to happen and felt very uncomfortable because of it? Well, children who don’t have consistent boundaries and consequences feel this way most of the time. Consequently, they act out to try and find where the boundaries are as they crave a sense of stability.

GIVE THIS A TRY

Create consistent rules for your family and stick to them.
Have consistent and reasonable consequences for breaking the rules.
Lastly and extremely important always talk to your child afterward and assure them that you love them but that the behavior is not accepted.

Hope this helps