Why does my kid have these bad habits? Is it something I have done? Yes and no! Kids naturally absorb a lot of the behavior they see around them. So they may be mimicking the people around them both at home and in school.
A school is a fantastic place for young minds to learn and grow. But it’s not all fun and games. When a kid encounters the school environment for the first time — or even when they resume lessons after a summer break — they expose themselves to a barrage of habits.
These habits, good or bad, are out of your control. And although you might have shielded them from cultivating these habits at home, school is another place where they can encounter them. There’s nothing you can do to change that environment.
So, what can you do to deal with the bad habits your kid develops? Try these tips:
1. Be patient. This tip might come as a surprise to many parents but taking immediate action can sometimes do more harm than good.
- Accept that all kids develop bad habits early in life, so try not to make a big deal out of it initially. Try to create a relaxed environment. You want your kids to be able to come to you for help, not condemnation.
- Most times, your kid will outgrow bad habits independently, without your help. So, do something by doing nothing. Just let your kid know you will be there if they need you.
2. Try to understand your kid. After a while, when waiting it out doesn’t work, you can try exploring the reasons behind the behavior. Kids are innocent and like to explore the world around them.
- Some habits in kids can stem from a stressful school environment, while for others, a chaotic family can cause bad behavior. Getting to the root of your kid’s issue will help you understand these habits.
- For example, a kid doesn’t develop a nose-picking habit only to annoy you. They pick their nose because of the nagging irritation of the crust in their nose.
- Once you know the root of the bad habit, you can start making positive changes to help your kid break their bad behavior and stop picking their nose.
3. Avoid giving attention to negative behavior. Kids are attention-seeking creatures. Sometimes, a kid picks up a habit to get your attention, not because it’s an actual habit.
- If you find that this is the root of their practice, the best option is to ignore it at the outset. Any attention you give will only encourage them to continue doing it.
4. While you’re being patient, watch them and work it out as a team. You can work with your kid to curb any bad habits. That may be one of the most effective ways to deal with them.
- Nagging and applying pressure increases the negative pattern because kids don’t even realize what they’re doing is wrong. So, try to understand them.
- If you can think of a problem with their behavior, you can work with your kid to come up with a plan to change it. Talk to your kid about the problem and the difficulties you have with it and work with them to develop a new way to handle the situation.
5. Replace bad habits by engaging in other activities. For example, if your kid picks their nose because they get bored, try to engage them in other activities that interest them.
- Go to the zoo, have a picnic in the park, or go to the movies. There are plenty of things you can encourage them to do besides picking their nose. So, distract them.
- Like any bad habits and addictions, replacing bad habits with healthy and productive behaviors will help your kid get their needs met healthily.
I know it is scary…
… to think about the bad habits your kid will develop. But as a parent, you have to accept it as a part of your kid’s life.
Not every bad habit is something you can change quickly, but you can work with them to make it less frequent. If there are behaviors that you have a hard time dealing with, talk about them with your kid and work on a plan for changing them together. You and your kid will both benefit.