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For Parents

• Why children misbehave •
• Dealing with misbehavior •
• What to do if you suspect child abuse •
• Helpful Resources •
 
“No success in life can compensate for failure in the home.”
 

Prevent Child Abuse Rockdale is a non-profit, chartered council of a statewide organization dedicated to preventig child abuse. Located in Conyers, Georgia in the Greater Atlanta Metropolitan Area, PCAR leads, supports, and coordinates citizens and professionals in a comprehensive effort to end child abuse.

Our Mission is to prevent child abuse and neglect in all forms.
 

Get involved and save a life!Volunteer support multiplies our efforts to help families and educate our community. There are many rewarding and exciting opportunities to serve families with us.

Financial support helps ensure the continuation of PCAR’s proven prevention programs. Your tax deductible pledge or gift will help offset recent decreases in government funding and allow us to provide vitally needed services to families and children.
 
 
Dealing with Misbehavior
 
Child abuse and neglect are tragic realities within millions of families worldwide. Each day children are abandoned, neglected, beaten, and sexually abused.
 

No one said it would be easy to be a parent. When your child acts up, take action! Understand why children act the way they do. Know how to react to different behaviors. Spend time with your child and remind him or her of your love.

When everyday pressures build up to the point where you feel like lashing out, STOP. Try the following instead:

  • Take deep breaths. Remember, you are the adult.
  • Close your eyes and pretend you're hearing what your child is about to hear.
  • Press your lips together and count to 10...or 20.
  • Phone a friend.
  • If someone can watch your child, go outside and take a walk.
  • Take a hot bath or splash water on your face.
  • Hug a pillow.
  • Turn on some relaxing music or maybe even sing a song.
  • Write down as many helpful words as you can think of. Save the list.

When your child misbehaves, it is your job as a parent to respond in a way that stops your child from misbehaving. Teach your child to recognize and practice appropriate behavior. Teaching positive behavior is a challenge. To do it well, you must understand why children act the way they do. Children are not small grownups. Their needs, wants, and abilities are a lot different from yours. Respond in a helpful, loving way. What you say and do helps shape the way your child acts.

Every child misbehaves from time to time. When responding to misbehavior try:

Time-outs - Briefly send your child to a safe, quiet place in the home, away from people and playthings. Give one minute of time-out for each year of your child's age. Do not lecture afterwards, but make sure they understand why they were put in time-out AND what behavior they should have chosen instead.

Tuning out - Ignore misbehavior that is aimed at getting your attention, such as bad language. Let your child know that you will respond only when he or she stops the misbehavior.

Remove privileges - Take away something your child values - for example, playtime with friends, watching a favorite movie, etc.

Do not use physical punishment - Spanking may stop the misbehavior for a while, but it does not teach a child how to control his or her own behavior. Instead, it teaches the child that it is OK to use violence to solve problems. It may also lead to injury. Children will also learn to fear you, not respect you. That leads to their behavior being compliant when you are around, but different when you are not there to control them.

 

TIPS FOR HANDLING SPECIFIC BEHAVIORS

Temper tantrums - Ignore the tantrum. Let your child know you will respond when he or she regains control. Prevent tantrums when possible. Watch for signs of frustration in your child, and help him or her communicate in a more appropriate way before their emotions “melt–down”.

Stealing and lying - Explain the right way to get things. Have your child help return, replace or pay for the stolen items. Teach honesty by example. Help the child see that the behavior - not the child - is bad.

Aggressive behavior - Stop the behavior and explain why it is not allowed. Teach nonviolent problem solving, such as taking turns.

Talking back - Understand that this may be a child's way of having some control. Teach polite ways to say no. Ignore the misbehavior or seek a compromise.

Do Not Respond In Anger. COOL DOWN BEFORE THINGS HEAT UP!
 
 
© 2009 Prevent Child Abuse Rockdale. All Rights Reserved.