Dealing with difficult habits in a stubborn child can be a challenging aspect of parenting. It’s important to recognize that these behaviors are often a part of a child’s development and may arise due to various factors. One common habit is stubbornness itself, where a child may resist instructions or refuse to cooperate. In such cases, it’s essential for parents to maintain patience, set clear boundaries, and offer choices within those boundaries to help the child feel a sense of control while still following rules. Open communication is key, as it allows parents to understand the underlying reasons for being the stubborn child and address them effectively.
Being a parent is a really tough job, especially for mothers who have to be responsible for everything, a child does. Both parents work hard to raise their kids. Since fathers mainly fulfill the financial needs of a family, mothers have to look after the children. Taking care of kids along with the other house chores without any house help is really frustrating thing. In the process, mothers forget about themselves. Nowadays many women complain about their kids being stubborn and naughty. They don’t listen to their parents, especially mothers. Here are some of the tips to handle an extremely stubborn child.
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Be Patient with a Stubborn Child
The very first thing each mother should know even before planning a child is that parenting and motherhood require a lot of patience. You should be preparing yourself mentally that raising a kid is not a piece of cake. It demands a lot of sacrifices, sleepless nights, and hectic days. It should not be taken as a punishment rather it’s like planting a tree. The more you look after a plant, the more fruitful a tree is going to be. If you do parenting well, it will reward you in the sweetest form. Parenting is a very slow and steady process. If you are complaining all of a sudden that your 2 or 3-year-old child is not listening to you, and has become a stubborn child, it does not happen overnight. Kids start learning when they are very small. Although it seems unreal, from the age of 1- or 2 months kids start to adopt things. Bear in mind that the brain of a child is like a blank slate and it’s going to be filled with whatever he observes in the surroundings.
Improve Your Relationship With Your Partner
This is something to which a lot of people do not pay any heed but the relationship between mother and father plays an important role in shaping the behavior of a child. From a very young age, a kid began to observe how his mother and father treat each other. If he sees his father respecting and listening to his mother, he will eventually do the same. Similarly, many virtues like kindness, affection, etc. are learned from the environment of the home. It is being said that the best gift parents can give to their child is a happy marriage. This means that when the environment in the home is happy, the child will be more nice and optimistic. The study shows that mostly the stubborn children have the parents who have toxic relationships with each other.
Focus On Yourself / Educate Yourself
Many mothers complain that they cannot focus on themselves after the arrival of the baby. This is the key problem when it comes to the dealing of children. A woman gets a lot of me time before having children. Soon after having a baby postpartum depression in many cases kicks in and mothers looking after the baby can’t find time for themselves. As a result, they get frustrated quickly. The solution is that you need to reshape your priorities. Although the center of attention is now the baby but time can be scheduled accordingly. Try to take out some me time for yourself. Focus on your mental and physical health. Try to look pretty so as to be confident. There is a rule that a mentally and physically sound mother can raise a healthy and wise child. So, the main focus should be you.
Let Your Child Get Bored
This may seem illogical but you are going to believe it once you try it. Many times, we as a mother think that our child needs to be engaged all the time. This results in the ill management of time. Waiting for a child to sleep and then doing your house chores and self-care results in sleep deprivation. Let your child sit idle for some time from a very young age. Don’t worry about what she is going to do or she will get bored. Obviously, it doesn’t mean to totally forget about your child. Keep an eye on her meanwhile, do your work. When the baby sleeps, try to sleep with her so that you can get enough of sleep and stay mentally and physically active.
Sort Out The Things Troubling You And Your Baby
There is always a solution to every problem. If your child is creating too much trouble for you, just sit down and relax. Think of all the problems and share it with your partner. Think of all the possible reasons for your child to be stubborn. Try to sort out things on your own and if it’s not possible then involve a third party. Take any help if necessary. Schedule some activities for your children to keep them busy. There are certain things that cause too many problems for a mother regarding her child such as potty training and eating habits. They can also be sorted if done properly.
Potty training can be a milestone that both parents and children find challenging. It’s essential to recognize that every child is unique and may progress at their own pace. Some tips for successful potty training includes the right timing, consistency, positive reinforcement, model behavior, and comfort of potty seats.
Food refusal, especially in toddlers and young children, can also be a source of concern for parents. It’s often a phase related to independence and exploration. You can address this issue by offering a variety of foods, creating a positive meal environment, setting a proper schedule, and involving a child.
Non-Stop Counseling
Teaching your child about right and wrong may seem a very useless thing in the start but one day you’ll be amazed at how your continuous teaching worked. If anything about your child is bothering you, have a friendly conversation with your kid and tell him where you find him wrong. In the beginning, it will seem fruitless but if you remain patient and continuously counsel your child at bedtime, you will see one day all your words will show up.
Limit Screentime / Use Of Gadgets
Apparently, it is very convenient to give your little one, a mobile phone or any other gadget and get rid of your responsibility for some time. But in the long run, it only increases your worries. Excess of everything is bad. Unattended screen time makes a child stubborn and aggressive. Screen time should be very limited and attended by someone mature. By engaging too much in cartoons and movies, certain chemical hormones known as endorphins are released in the children. These endorphins are the cause of sudden excitement and happiness . This results in the addiction of the cartoons and screen time. Alternate way is to engage the child in physical activities. The process is slow but results are fruitful in a long term
Consider The Food Your Child Is Consuming
Last but not least, the food we eat impacts greatly our lives. Eating clean and healthy food makes a person not only physically fit but also mentally sound. Kids who consume a lot of junk food are more likely to have mental disorders than the ones who eat healthy food. Spiritual health is largely dependent on the food we consume daily. So, in order to raise your child in a healthy way, make sure to check out and limit the unhealthy food intake and focus more on healthy food and lifestyle.