What to do With the Child You Just Can't Seem to Control

Everybody at one point or another comes across a child that, no matter how hard they try, they just can’t make behave. You scold, you put him in time out, you try distracting him, and you have even resorted to bribes. Still, this child pays no heed. What then? You are responsible for a child who, as society would describe him, is a brat. There are a few solutions that can be used. These should be considered as last-resort tactics, do not use these unless you feel that you absolutely have to.

First thing, ask yourself this question: Is this child hurting anybody or anything? If the answer is yes, then you may need to call somebody to help you. Quite often a child is upset about something going on in their life (it isn’t necessarily you) and they will act out. They may take out their anger on brothers or sisters, the dog or cat, or even on family’s possessions. Or sometimes they are just mean children. Either way, if you have tried everything else, call their parents, your parents, or another adult that you trust. You can ask them for advice, or even ask them to come over and help get the child back under control. Don’t be afraid to ask. Even if you don’t want to embarrass yourself, or the parents, it is better to be embarrassed then to have an injured child or a destroyed house.

If the answer is no, then you have some options. If this child is an only you will have an easier time of gaining control. If there is more than one, separation may be the key. Generally, most children misbehave to get attention, or what they want. When you are scolding them, they are getting the attention that they are looking for. I would not recommend this if they are destroying other’s property, but if they are just jumping on the couch, or screaming or such, try ignoring them. Act like their actions are not bothering you. It is quite boring to misbehave when nobody pays attention. Be sure to always stay in the same room as the child, so that you can intervene if they start to damage things though. Don’t let the child think that you are looking at them, and don’t speak to them. If they ask you a question, (assuming that it is not like “Can I flush the cat down the toilet?”) don’t answer, and when they persist tell them that when they can sit down quietly you will answer them. Most children in this situation will eventually calm down, and you can resume playing.

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