How to Handle the Behavior of a 3 Year Old

Believe me, I understand the stresses of being a parent, and especially in dealing with toddlers, specifically the behavior of a 3 year old. I am a mom to 4 wonderful boys, but they sure could be a handful at times, especially when they were toddlers. The worst was dealing with them between the ages of 2 and 4 years old. Those were tough years and when my fourth son came around I was determined to experience this stage of his life differently.....I wanted it to be less frustrating for me, and a more peaceful experience for my family. After all, a disruptive, whiny child who does not do what we ask causes tension for the entire family unit and that is not good.

So if you are like me, facing a difficult child and wanting to know what you can do to make changes that will have a positive affect on their behavior, attitude and actions, keep reading. I know you love your child and want the best for them, now lets talk about what tools you need to be able to do this successfully.

How to Handle the Behavior of a 3 Year Old

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Parenting A Difficult Child - Children Who Talk Back

So what is the best way to deal with children who talk back? Taking away privileges, treats or pocket money is not very effective with difficult or behavior defiant children. To them, winning the argument or battle is more important than avoiding punishment or loss of privileges. They simply want to engage you AND win. Therefore, they will be unrelenting in their whining or back talking.

So what is the most effective way of dealing with a difficult child when they are whining, arguing or talking back to you? I think putting them in a time out is the best way. When you do this, you immediately end the argument and give each of you time to cool down. This keeps you in control of the situation and shows them that “winning” is not an option. The debate will simply be over.

After the time out, do not return to the issue of the conflict, since mentioning it again will only reignite the argument. Move on to other things. If your child does bring it back up, stick to your guns and don’t debate it. As a parent, it is so important to choose your battles and stick to your decisions on important issues. If you feel yourself becoming angry or frustrated then use a time out to end the argument.

Dealing with a difficult or behavior defiant child is a tough job for any parent. Dealing with back talk is simply one of the many challenges, however, it is one you can overcome. The best thing you can do as a parent is to look for resources that will help you continue to develop your parenting skills. As you do this, you will grow in knowledge and be adequately equipped to handle all the phases of adolescence.

Stop Tantrums and Defiant Behavior From Your Child with the DREAM CHILD METHOD

Are you the parent of a child who is out of control?
Do they yell, throw tantrums, defy everything you say, and act out?
Have you read tons of parenting books, listened to CD's and searched online for answers that just aren't helping? Are you looking for something that will make a change in your child's behavior, and in a relatively short amount of time? If so, you sound like ME! I have a very trying 4 year old and it seems that nothing I have tried has worked to change his naughty behavior.

The Dream Child Method is very cool! I am excited that this new product has come out. It focuses on the child's unconscious mind in a way that is very powerful. And the results that have been seen by others are astounding. The Dream Child Method is definitely something to investigate.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Children- What happens to them?

Children who are diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) have 4 possible paths to take.

1. Some will grow out of it. Half of the preschoolers that are labeled ODD are normal by the age of 8. However, in older children, 75% will still fulfill the diagnostic criteria later in life.
   
   
2. It may turn into something else. 5-10 % of preschoolers with ODD have their diagnosis changed to ADHD. In some children, the defiant behavior gets worse and these children eventually are diagnosed with conduct disorder. This progression usually happens fairly early. If a child has ODD for 3-4 years and he hasn't developed Conduct Disorder, then they most likely will not develop it.
   
   
3. The child may continue to have ODD without any thing else. This is unusual. By the time preschoolers with ODD are 8 years old, only 5% have just this condition and nothing else.
   
   
4. The child develops other disorders. This is the most common outcome.
   

Therefore, be proactive in getting help now. There is a lot you, as a parent can learn and implement that will make a significant impact on your child's behavior. There are new things you can always learn...don't hesitate to get the extra parenting help you might need. Check out My Out of Control Child by Mark Hutten which works specifically with ODD kids. You won't be disappointed.

Strong Willed Children - 7 Helpful Tips

Do you have a difficult or strong willed child? Do they constantly challenge your rules, question your actions and in general, push your buttons? Are you mentally and emotionally exhausted all the time from the constant attention you give to dealing with their behaviors? Are you frustrated and feel like NOTHING YOU TRY WORKS? If so, you are not alone, but you do need help!

There is no doubt, your job as a parent is no walk in the park. Let me encourage you and give you some tips that may help.

Tip #1- Don't give up.

Your child needs you weather they know it or not. Determine in your mind that you will work with your child no matter how tired, hopeless or frustrated you are. Commit to this. This commitment most likely will involve you taking action to learn new and different ways of parenting your child. If everything you have tried has not worked, it simply means you need to learn what will work. And you can learn this. There are answers, and there are PROVEN methods that will make a difference. My favorite author on this subject is Mark Hutten and he shares what he has learned over the course of 20 years in My Out of Control Child and My Out of Control Teen program.

Tip #2- Seek out help.

The first step here may be in educating yourself. If what you are currently doing is not working, then you need to actively seek out new methods for dealing with your child. Parenting is a course in continuing education....the learning and growing never stops. Another benefit of Mark Hutten's program is that he has an Online Parent Support Group and you can email him directly and work with him one on one, from the comfort of your own home, and get specific answers for the problems you are dealing with.

Tip #3- Be Consistent in your Discipline.

Let your NO be NO 100% of the time. They will naturally challenge you to see if you really will do what you said you would do. This is hard to do, I know. However, the payoff is worth it. If children learn that they can get what they want by pushing you, they will. However, if they learn that you mean what you say, they will eventually stop trying. They become programed to your behavior.

Tip #4- Don't Yell.

Yelling doesn't help, and it teaches them to yell. You can have a stern voice that alerts them that there is a problem, but it does not require yelling. If you yell, you are simply teaching them that it is okay to yell when they want to express their emotions. Again, children live what they learn.

Tip #5- Ignore Tantrums if possible.

If you have a child who throws tantrums, I suggest putting them in a safe, yet isolated place (like their room) and walk away. Ignore the behavior, while not allowing it to ruin whatever is going on with the rest of the family. Remember, negative attention is still attention.

If you have a teenager who does this, I would listen to them completely, showing no emotional response AT ALL. Then, when they are finished, simply sum up what they said, insert the word "And", restate your answer that caused the outburst, then excuse yourself from the conversation.

The result: you listened, you restated what they said so they knew you heard them, you stuck with your answer, and then left the situation so as not to enter into an argument or yelling match.

Tip #6- Make a reward chart to catch them being good.

If you know your child, you know what motivates them- a new toy, an ice cream, going to the movies, whatever. Create a reward chart and place a sticker on it whenever you catch them being good. After "x" amount of stickers, give them the reward.

Tip #7- Make sure your child knows the rules and the consequences.

Repeating your expectations and then having them repeat them, back to you in their own words is a great way to do this. It also solves the problem of them using the excuse of "I didn't know!"

In conclusion, parenting a strong-willed, difficult, behavior defiant or out of control child or teenager is hard. There are always new things you can learn and implement to help get things back under control in your family. You simply have to be willing to take that step and invest in your child and their future.

I hope these tips get you going in the right direction!

With a smile~ Tina

"My Out of Control Teen" - Online Parent Support

Out of Control Teen? Behavior Defiant Child?
Find REAL help, that WILL make a difference.

If things with your teenager have pushed you to the point of looking online for help, then you have probably tried everything you could think of to do. You have probably been dealing with a child who loses his temper, lies, argues with adults, breaks rules repeatedly, and has no respect for you. Everything you have tried to date has had little or no effect and now you do not know what to do. What you need are some new ideas and strategies for dealing with your child. Perhaps some unconventional ideas from an authority on dealing with kids will be just the answer you are looking for. Help can be found, and quickly.

I have found one such authority online who offers a wonderful, comprehensive program that is sure to give you the help you need. The program includes an e-book as well as an Online Parenting Group that offers advice and support to help you through each difficulty you face. The author of this program offers non-traditional parenting advice from years of hands on experience. His e-book shares over 150 techniques for dealing with a difficult teen that show results quickly.

There is help for you in dealing with a behavior defiant, out of control teen. You do not necessarily have to go into counseling, or take parenting classes. However, you do need to learn some new strategies and techniques for effectively dealing with your teen. Once you have developed some of these skills, things will start looking up. Stress will go down, and your family will find some happy times once again.

Rebellious Teenagers – 1 Thing to Do as a Parent

If you are the parent of a teenager, I am sure you have felt your emotions pulled every which way you can think of, all within a day even. Teenagers are intricate people, who, with one misstep, could blow up in your face, leaving you speechless. Teens can challenge our patience to know end.... In addition, if you are the parent of a rebellious teen, your job is probably even more trying. So what can you do as a parent, to really help a difficult teen? I think the most important quality you can have is relentlessness. Do not ever give up on them, on helping them, standing by them, or on parenting them. If you do, who else will they have?

As parents, our job is to love our children unconditionally as we guide them through childhood and into adulthood. No matter how much they test us, fight us, argue with, ignore us or rebel, we must be persistent as parents. There will always be those difficult days…the days when we are exhausted, frustrated, disappointed and overwhelmed, but every day ends and a new one follows. Keep that in mind. Time is not infinite. There is always an end. Be unrelenting.

So how can you be relentless as a parent? A few things that come to mind are to stay active and involved in their life, pursue them and show attentiveness in what interests them. Attend any events they may have, or accept and participate in any of their leisurely activities that you can. For instance, if you have a child who likes to ride skateboards, go and watch them at the skate park, get to know their friends, maybe attend a professional event with them, like the Dew Tour. Whatever it is they are currently passionate about, get interested in too. Also, be sure to let your teen know that you will always be there for them and that you are always available to listen.

Another part of being relentless is choosing to never give up. No matter how hard a situation gets, be willing to find the help you need. It is imperative that you remain willing to continue reaching out, to keep trying, and to keep learning. It is then, that you will remain close to your child, even through those rebellious teenage years.