Call on 07881293180 or email mandy@behaviourspecialist.co.uk
We’ve heard that the Welsh government is about to ban parents from smacking their children.In England reasonable physical chastisement by parents can be seen as lawful in some situations, but the general consensus is that smacking isn’t an appropriate way to manage children’s behaviour.
Don’t avoid the subject or pretend it isn’t happening. Be upfront and understanding about their feelings without becoming upset yourself or giving the impression they are right to be anxious. So if your child is uptight about going to a Doctor’s appointment let her know that you can see she is on edge about it all.
Lots of parental enthusiasm often works for younger children and, whilst being engaged and interested as they get older is still crucial, you may need to dial down the intensity at secondary school level.
As I work alongside parents it usually becomes clear that electronic screens are a cause of concern and anxiety. Parents tend to feel ‘out of control’ as they see their children utterly engrossed in their own screen world, to what seems like an unhealthy degree. Mums and Dads wonder about how to tackle the issue and the limits they should place on their children.
For those youngsters (and adults) who struggle to be calm, rational, positive and keep things in perspective, the following techniques are worth a try. They are proven to be effective in reducing anxiety, stress and low mood.
Brothers and sisters who argue and fight every time they are in the same room are sometimes doing so because they don’t know how to
Getting annoyed or reacting emotionally when a child or teenager is being difficult actually makes things worse in the long run because many youngsters will aim for any attention, even if it’s negative, and the attention of a good ‘telling off’ strengthens unwanted behaviours.
New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and drink less alcohol are commendable and understandable after Christmas excesses, but maybe you are feeling now is a
Mindfulness involves paying attention and being aware in the moment, without judging and analysing our thoughts and so not bringing our ‘baggage’ to situations. It is about accepting things as they are; not getting continuously caught up in how things ‘should’ be, worries about what might happen and concerns over past issues.
When trying to manage behaviour which has become disruptive for your family, it is helpful to try and understand where this behaviour is coming from. What are the underlying factors? What purpose is it serving for your child?