Child Behavior

Knowing when to hug and when to back slooooowwly away from your Boomerang kid is vital to having a decent relationship....

Before I had children, I had envisioned exactly what a great parent I would be. I knew that I wouldn't yell, no outrageous displays of emotion. I would be calm, focused, and perfect. Heck, I was trained in psychology, worked with tons of kids, and I knew exactly what I needed to do to inspire and nurture. I was wrong....dead wrong! As a parent, there is no perfect. Well, maybe intentions. I believe most parents have the best, most perfect of intentions, but perfect delivery...no, it's just not possible of humans.

Sometimes, you need to go through something to change your way of thinking.  If you’re a reckless driver, a car accident may slow you down.  If you’re a workaholic, you may change your ways after your spouse leaves you.  If you’re ambivalent towards tragedies in other parts of the world, you may start paying attention when two planes take down buildings in the city in which you live.  Hopefully, eventually, people wake up from the narcissistic slumber we all seem to be in…but sometimes they don’t.

Have you ever been at a loss on what to do with your child? They've been misbehaving, acting out, throwing tantrums, and totally unmanageable. It's hard because you just can't get a hold of what's making them act the way they do. You know your child the best, but you're also so close it's hard to see the big picture. That's where I think it helps to do a little behavior analysis at home. Let me make it clear that sometimes we need outside help. If the behavior is not developmentally appropriate, you have concerns about the child's or someone else's safety, or you're really unable to cope, you should find assistance from someone experienced with applied behavior analysis. Turn to your pediatrician, teacher, school psychologist, or school counselor for guidance.