unruly children....?

Question

what have you found to be the most effective way to make an unruly child listen?

Answer 1

Treat them with respect and not as a baby. Consider them individuals who will be adults someday. Get them involved in day to day tasks.

Cut out TV, computer games and junk food. They over stimulate the child. They come to expect a lot of stimulation with little effort.

Answer 2

1) Give 'em ritalin - sounds like an ADHD problem to me.

2) Use some of the techniques that the Dog Whisperer uses - intimidation and establishing yourself as leader of the pack works well with kids too.

3) Separate them from the situation, particularly if it's overstimulation, hold them still by the arms or shoulders face to face, and talk quietly, looking them in the eye until they can repeat exactly what you are telling them.

4) Establish, firmly, a very quick warning system. In my family it was always three warnings and you're out. Count the warnings outloud to the child as you give them. Warnings don't count if another child is being harassed. Tell your child that this is the forever new system in your house and it begins now. Be sure they know what "unruly" means - in my book it's anytime they are asked to stop anything by mom, dad or a caregiver. Don't be afraid to leave a party, movie, dinner table or other environment. Don't be afraid to ask a playmate to sit quietly and watch TV or call their mom to take them home.

Hope some of this helps.

Answer 3

I'm a kid so you can listen to this stuff first hand! :)

First off, treat them with respect! If you don't, they just dislike you even more for it and keep behaving poorly.

What my parents did for a while which REALLY worked is a chore bucket. My mom bought a container of poker chips and put chores on the front of all the white ones. So, if you misbehaved and wouldn't listen the first time, you had to draw a chore out of the bucket and do it. You had to pick randomly so you couldn't pick it on your own! It really worked, and we liked it too because on the back of all the chores was a small amount of money. If you weren't doing the chore because you were in trouble, just because you wanted to make money, that was added to your allowance at the end of the week! After we did a 'bad' chore though, we had to talk to the person who gave it to us and explain what we did and what we can do next time to make it better. Then, you have to apoligize to all the people involved! Works like a charm, good luck!

Answer 4

You need to get down to their level and look them in the eye to show them you are in control. Talking down at them makes them become more unruly. Try getting to their level and do not yell. Speak to them in a stern voice and let them know you mean business.

Answer 5

BE CONSISTENT! If you threaten to take something away or not let them do something, then you MUST follow through. Otherwise, they think you are just kidding all of the time and they will continue to misbehave. I have two children, ages 2 and 4, and my dad recently bought a time out chair. It works, but the idea is not to punish them. It's to remove them fromt he behavior that is making them act the way they are. So, put them in a time out chair and talk to them. Ask them why they are angry/upset/etc. and give them something to help them relax (NOT DRUGS!) coloring books and crayons, slow music, etc. HOPE THIS HELPS!

Answer 6

I have found that with my hyper step son that when he gets into a mood that making him talk to me and tell me what is on his mind and making him tell me how he should handle himself when he feels out of control works very well I think it gives him time to relax and deal with his anger or his behavior. Now with my teenage son he is totally different I have found that making him do something productive and staying on top of him breaks his will.

Answer 7

Back in my day me and my sibs got the belt. But nowadays they get timeout, which I think is usless because it just gives them time to plan out their next evil deed. I would recomend you take away the video game and/or TV use and give them extra chores.

Answer 8

Time outs. You have to enforce it though. make them sit in the corner in a stool for 5 minutes. It seems like an eternity.

Answer 9

Consistent discipline. It isn't easy, but it's better than visiting them in jail in 15 years.

Answer 10

Well you can probably send him or her to their room then allow them to listen to music or tell them if they listen then you will do something nice for them.