How To Parent Your (Bad) Child - Preventing the Birth of Wal-Mart Kid

Did that video look familiar? Chances are if your child throws a fit and makes a scene in public, it's embarrassing to you. As well it should be. But be not embarrassed by the fact that your kid was screaming. Be embarrassed by the fact that you don't know how to parent your child, and the scene occurred as a result of this.

Take personal responsibility. Think about your actions and how your child interprets them. What are you teaching the ankle biter when he displays bad behavior and you reward him in order to quiet him down? Is the "time out" truly effective for you? Are you running things, or is your 5 year old?

My last bit of advice to the Wal-tards out there is this: you are doing your children a disservice if you do not discipline them. They will fail at life. Don't allow your love for your child to confuse the issue. If you love your child, you will do what is necessary to raise them well which includes things that make you uncomfortable or are difficult. It is selfish of you not to. Don't get it twisted.

Parenting is actually not that difficult when you use your intellect, rather than your emotions, to guide you. Here are some unfortunate things I've witnessed in public.

*The "timeout."
Situation -- Your child is still acting out. You don't want to be "mean", so you begin counting...
Lesson -- You just taught your child they get a "countdown" before they have to behave. Certain behaviors should be unacceptable. They are either permissible, or not. It's that black and white. It's that simple. If you are threatening timeouts, you have relegated control to your child.

*Threatening your child without having a repercussion.
Situation -- You threaten. Nothing happens. You threaten some more. Nothing happens. Your child is still screaming.
Lesson -- You just taught your child that you will threaten, and nothing will happen. How effective do you think you will you be in future disciplinary attempts?

*Giving your child a toy to quiet them down.
Situation -- Your kid is screaming at Toys R Us because he wants a toy. You tell him no. He screams louder. To avoid further embarrassment and to get him to stop screaming, you finally give in and buy him the toy he wants.
Lesson -- You just taught your child to scream and throw a fit, and he will get a toy.

Need I go on? It really isn't that complex. Think about what you do before you do it. Make calm, rational decisions based on logic, not emotion.

What types of lessons are you teaching your child based on how you interact with him?