Discipline Behaviour / Why Children Misbehave

There are many reasons why your child may be displaying negative behaviour. Some of these reasons include:

- Seeking Attention:

If your child is not getting enough attention you may find that he/she misbehaves. After all for a child, any attention is better than none at all, even if that attention is got by displaying negative behaviour. This type of misbehaviour results in you feeling annoyed.

- Power:

If your child fails to get the nurturing attention he or see needs, it may result in your child trying to gain power. They will simply misbehave because they feel unloved. They unfortunately get satisfaction from being mean and even violent to others. This behaviour may leave you feeling fearful or very angry.
This need for attention and power could lead to major problem when the child gets older if it is not resolved, as he/she may join groups and so on, to feel like they have some form of power.

- Revenge:

Again this is related to power. The child may bully other children or have alot of hate for others around him/ her. If a child does not feel like they are important and that they matter, they may very well express this by fighting with others and so on.

- Self-Confidence:

If a child has a lack of self-confidence they automatically expect to fail. They have no belief in themselves at all! This lack of self confidence can result in behaviour, like failing to do homework because they feel they are unable to do it, even though they are more than capable. This form of misbehaviour usually leave you as a parent or carer feeling very frustrated.

This Behaviour can be avoided pretty easily once you know how. You need to fully understand a child. You need to know there Needs, not just the physical ones but the emotional needs as well.

- Children need to be loved, cared for and listened to

- They need to be valued

- They need to feel important

- They need to feel like they have power over their own life

- They need to be respected

- They need to be encouraged and praised

- They need to feel accepted

- And they need to feel apart of something

Children have so many needs! The list just goes on and on. Children in many ways are no different to adults, as adults have these needs also. The only difference is, that adults are more mature, skilled, experienced and able to deal with the situation if they do not recieve all of these needs, children are not. That is why it is important for you as an adult to have an understanding and knowledge of these needs when you are around children! Having this knowledge and putting it into practice will make for happier, healthier, successful, well behaved, loving children.

*Remember, prevetion is always better than cure!

If we are only realising the faults we have been making in regards to children's needs, then we need to put things right. So therefore we need to discipline this behaviour. But what is the best way to discipline this behaviour?
First of all you need to identify the reason behind your child's misbehaviour and then act accordingly.

The Best Way To Discipline This Behaviour

The best way to discipline behaviour caused by any of the causes metioned above is to 'meet every one of the child's needs'! It is that simple. They are misbehaving because you are not listening to them, you are not making them feel included in family decision and possibly so much more of the needs mentioned previously.

Knowledge of these needs is the key. Do not beat yourself up over this! You may not be the only one that is at blame here. But you can make a big impact in teaching your child to behave well.
Talk to him/her about why they are behaving the way they are. Maybe give suggestion for them to act more positively, instead of misbehaving (e.g. walking around the garden to calm down when mummy or daddy is busy and did not answer a question etc). It never too late to have a positive impact on your child life. The child will thank you in years to come!