How to prevent aggressive behavior in children ?

There are countless moments when your child’s behavior melts your heart, but there are other times when they make you feel a little confused or crazy. Toddlers or preschoolers lack the self-control to express anger peacefully. It comes out naturally in the form of tantrums, hitting others, and throwing things around.

What causes aggressive behavior in children?

We often observe children might not have a lot of words to express, but they do have a stronghold on opinions. When their words fail to express their thoughts, they mostly burst out their anger, and if they are exhausted or feeling hungry it can take more aggressive forms.

Outburst once in a while is quite normal, but when it becomes a regular feature there are certain things we can work on to help with controlling their frustration.

Tips to shape your child’s behavior:

1)??Social norms and manners:-The importance of socially accepted norms is mostly neglected by parents, but I would suggest training them on some manners. For instance, we can instruct them on house rules such as always sitting on a sofa (no standing or jumping), how to behave when family friends visit the house and brushing your teeth before breakfast, etc. When children do something which goes against set norms, they should be gently told not to do so by explaining the consequences.

2)??Threat or punishment:- Both of these should not be practiced with our children as it makes the outburst or anger more vulnerable. I would suggest teaching desired behaviors and manners rather than giving punishments to your child.

3)??Playroom:- Children are naturally drawn to touch and explore, so hide or remove any items you don't want them to touch. I would suggest setting up a different room in our home where the child can play without any worries.

4)??How to control anger:- We are all aware of how little self-control children have. They need us to teach why they should not kick, throw, or bite anything when they are feeling hungry, but instead express their thoughts with words.

5)??Fight: When children are involved in a fight with their playmates, keep a close eye on them. If the conflict is minor, I would suggest keeping your distance and letting the children resolve it on their own. You must intervene immediately if your child gets involved in a physical fight that continues even after being instructed to stop. In case the fight is extremely violent, you should end the play session.?Make it clear that no matter who initiated it, there is no justification for attempting to harm one another.

6)??Praise your child:-Encourage them for being well-behaved and help them to understand how “grown-up” they look when they don’t hit, kick, throw or bite.

?7)??Temper:- I would suggest always observing your child. One of the crucial ways to teach them how to behave properly is to control their temper. If you express anger in a quiet, peaceful manner, your child will follow the same.

During the toddler and preschool years, the best way to prevent aggressive behavior is to provide a stable, secure family environment with firm love, discipline, and full-time monitoring.

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