MomLife Today recently published a helpful article by Susan Yates about handling your child’s back talk. Susan provided some great advice when taking on this frustrating challenge and conquering it like the supermom you are!
First off, you need to show your kids who’s in charge. Establish your dominance and remind them who’s the boss. Define your rules and if those rules are broken, follow through with the appropriate punishment. Kids will learn very quickly what they can and can’t get away with, so make sure they’re well aware of the consequences.
This idea should carry through with language as well. Show your kids that rudeness, disrespect, negativity and tantrums won’t get them anywhere. If children begin using these traits to get what they want, respond by standing your ground. If the behavior persists, you may need to respond with punishment.
You should also help kids understand how to express their feelings. They should use “I feel…” instead of an insult or complaint. Be careful not to punish a child for showing their feelings, whether they’re positive or negative. Feelings should be expressed, but verbal abuse is never ok!
Practice what you preach when it comes to the topic of forgiveness. Help your kids understand when and how an honest apology should take place and encourage forgiveness to and from them when these situations should arise.
It all comes down to ethics and teaching by example. If you show them what’s right, and patiently help them understand these concepts, they’ll develop an understanding of some of the most vital personality traits in existence: patience, trust, respect and empathy.
How do you combat back talk?
