From naughty to nice in 5 easy steps

A little hell-raiser at home can make you wonder if you made the right decision to have kids, and a hell-raiser in the streets can make you cringe in embarrassment. Does your little one have no filter? Do you have a toddler who can’t sit still, refuses to listen, and has no sense of acting properly, resulting in you not wanting to take them anywhere? Do they laugh in the face of danger, and taunt you when you’re trying to enforce discipline?

Never fear, even Dennis the Menace was reformed, and so can your little imp. Even when traditional methods of calming them don’t work, the steps below, shared by Manchester-based early childhood teacher Janet Rickards, will change their behaviour in no time.

Discipline, even when people are looking: One of the fears we have as parents is that other people will judge us when our kids misbehave, and we’re often afraid to discipline them because of time and place. Example, if you’re in church, your child may act out because they know that you will hesitate to shout or punish them because of the solemn environment. “But let them know that no matter where you are, your rules stand,” Rickards said. “So take them outside and give them the talk — that death stare our parents had wasn’t for naught. Let them know that you’re in charge, no matter the where and when, as if you don’t, they’ll continue testing you.

Let them know that both parents are disciplinarians: Often, one parent is softer while the other is harsh, and so the child will test the limits with one, while behaving around the other. Change tactics so that they know that you’re no pushover, and that you will take the same steps towards discipline as their other parent when they err.

Practise what you preach: Teach the appropriate moral values that you want the child to have, by your own actions. You can’t be sad, depressed, sulky or loud, and not expect your child to adopt the same attitude. Lead by example, because toddlers are literal sponges.

Maintain structure: This is more than organised activities and routines at home, it also includes a set bedtime, set times for device usage, prayer time, eating time, snack time and teeth-brushing time. Structure also teaches them how to behave where, so they won’t make the mistake of being inappropriate and embarrassing you. Children thrive on routine.

Mistakes will happen, but they’re not to be repeated: Kids are kids, and they will make mistakes, continue to test you, and try to see how far they can go. Even if your child seems to be regressing, don’t lose hope. Even if they get one good thing done right for the day, praise the effort. It’s very important to empower your child by saying how proud you are and boosting the child’s self-confidence and self-esteem so they will know that positive behaviour will result in positive responses. Emphasise that mistakes are OK, but they’re not to be repeated, and the child should learn from them. Once they know that the world won’t end if they fall by the wayside, they’ll be more compelled to be better.