Family and Parenting: Information For Families

Parents and teachers need to be aware of bad behavior at preschool. When antisocial behavior patterns exist and are not corrected, they may develop into bigger problems with time. Children who bully, bite, and generally behave poorly at school need to learn how to deal with their feelings and behavior in a better way. Follow these tips to help you cope with a child who behaves badly at preschool.

Some adults leave children to work out their own issues with other kids. They think the problem would dissolve on its own. This is not generally possible. Some kids have learned how to solve problems without turning to aggressive behavior. They may be able to deal with these circumstances. However, if a child is not taught this skill, he or she may start hitting, pushing, biting, and bullying. Parents should intervene when they notice bad behavior. If parents wait to see what happens, then they may have a bigger problem in their hands.

A parent should not only say “no.” This is not enough. A parent should also follow up with a list of consequences that are immediate and reasonable. For instance if your child hit a classmate, a response can be, “Sammy, hitting is not nice. Because you were not nice and hit Len, you will give him your cookie tomorrow and tell him that you are very sorry. Instead of playing tonight, you will make a card for him and give it to him tomorrow.” This is not all a parent can do.

A parent also has to give a child an alternate way to express emotions. A good way to teach your child how to behave is to play games that teach cooperation. Role-playing is important for this. You can use stuffed animals to take on roles. You can teach your child how to deal with emotional situations. You can also read stories that focus on how to resolve problems. Further, keep an eye on children who have trouble controlling their behavior. Be very quick as you redirect them to do something else when you notice that they are not properly reacting to the situation. Later on, revisit the problem and practice appropriate steps.

When your child uses positive behavior or refrains from misbehaving as a response, praise him or her. Show encouragement toward good behavior. You do not need to reward good behavior with material objects. Spending time with your child will be reward enough. Further, you can use charts to keep a record of the improvements in the ability to control his or her emotions. Charts help put problems in perspective.

Always remember to be a positive role model. A child can improve behavior sooner when he or she sees proper behavior at home. Children model behavior, so be a good example. Further, visit your child’s school and discuss matters of concern with teachers, so that they can monitor when and where the bad behavior occurs most frequently. Preschool emphasizes activities that promote student interaction; therefore, it is important to keep the environment healthy and safe.