Facilitate Proper Communication
It may not seem like a big issue but when kids are talking back, it could be their way of trying to make you accept a point that you see from a different perspective. Right or not, it still is disrespectful if a child shouts at his or her parents or makes rude comments. By giving in to their tactics, you are just giving them that satisfaction that they are the ones in control. I’ve met a lot of kids who are able to communicate with parents without being sarcastic. When I asked parents how they did it, it’s because they teach their kids some values such as being considerate of others and how to properly answer back to elders.
Let Them Wear Your Shoes
When a child talks back, he wants to be understood. When the answering back from parents happens, similarly, we adults want our kids to understand us. So why not exchange roles for a day? This way, you and your kids will learn where each is coming from.
Conclusion
Is talking back just considered a bad attitude? In 1997, Dr. Christine Adams, a psychologist in Houston, Texas was interviewed by Free Lance Star. She claimed that sassy talking back is actually a sign of intelligence, annoying as it is. It means that kids are now learning to reason out with the use of critical thinking. The psychologist recommended that instead of taking the sassiness out of kids, parents should focus on letting kids gain the art of better negotiation. Do I agree? I do encourage imposing certain rules that will curb talking back. But would I want my kid to be the perfect little miss or perfect little boy who can’t think when mommy is not around? I want to be respected, yes, that is to be expected. But at the same time, I want my child to see me as a person he could talk to and at the same time be given the freedom to make use of his mind. Talking back is something that parents would not welcome but I would rather see this as something that my kid trying to communicate with me and failing at it badly. As a parent, I know it’s the adult’s duty to reverse this bad attitude. It’s something that can be worked out through consistent disciplinary measures and communication.
Author: Holly Easterby
Holly’s love for children has seen her featured in many education and children websites, whether talking about healthy snacks, motivating students or children’s fashion at Bonza Brats. Holly loves reading books, and shopping is her way of spending time with her young family. If you would like to catch her, you can via Google+ or Twitter: @HollyEasterby
Comments
3 responses to “Kids Talking Back: Brattitude or Discipline Issues?”
I like the change places idea. Kids often do not understand what it is like. Very clever.
I remember a conversation with my own mother. She asked me what I would do to my own kids one day if they did what I did. I told her I wouldn’t spank them, as an adult, she made me eat my one words. Parenting is hard but I think kids don’t understand the bigger picture and don’t know that we are doing it out of love.
Although I have no children that doesn’t mean I haven’t had to deal with my friends kids (a couple actually lived with me for a while). Now I have been accused and laughed at on occasion but when one of those children would “start up” I would try to reason with them–until I finally would just say-BECA– USE I SAID SO. Actually most of those kids learned the skill of negotiation quite early in life without screaming much to their parents distress!