How to handle stubbornness?.
The toddler phase and the teenager phase are considered ‘the toughest to handle.’ Infants, toddlers, teens – stubbornness can surface at any age and then continue into adulthood.
How to handle stubbornness?
straightforward methods of getting them to follow directions or behave often don’t work. They want to be in charge. But, of course, so do you! Instead of repeating the same tactic of yelling, pleading and punishing, you can use the “judo parenting ” or “sneaky parenting”
Here are steps for handling a stubborn child:
* First, don’t argue upfrontly.
* Second, show empathy and connect with your child’s emotions.
* Third, step into child’s shoes by saying “honey, I understand you. (And when you say this, instantly your child connects with you and knows that you understand)
* Fourth, Now the child is in the position to listen to you, put the boundaries and state the reason for it.
* Fifth, Give some power to your child (like offer some choices to select and that will redirect your child’s attention)
Sometimes, your child is not only behaving stubborn but she/he throwing big tantrums and behaving out of control or crying a lot, understand your child is going through big emotions, in that case don’t try to include any techniques, it won’t work, because your child is not in the state of mind to listen to you.
At that time, Stay calm and just be there with the child, let the storm pass, let the emotions pass and later have a talk with your child.