Part three of Children and Inappropriate Behavior

Now that we have talked about intentional inappropriate behavior, this next scenario shows the opposite of it. You have seen, and not minded it in the past, when your child has jumped on the den couch. Now you have a new den couch and Jimmy is jumping on it. Seeing this you lose it and scream, “That’s inappropriate behavior!” Why? You never said he could not jump on the den couch before. It does not cut it to excuse your outburst by saying, “He just should have known he shouldn’t jump on the new couch!” How is this? You let him jump on the other couch. You have to actually let your child know what behavior you do NOT want and what behavior you do want. And where they can and can NOT do it. If you have already yelled at your child for this, step back, take a breath and calmly say, “I shouldn’t have yelled at you. But the new rule is no jumping on the den couch. Okay?” Make sure your child hears this. Since you now have informed him of the new rule if he does it again you are justified in reprimanding him. Hopefully by reading this three part article you now have more knowledge about intentional and unintentional behavioral actions by your child.