5 things parents do that accidentally cause kids’ bad behaviour

As parents, there are certain things we do that lead to our kids acting out and demonstrating bad behaviour.

A child psychologist has explained that there are five patterns that regularly show up for parents and why doing and saying these things can cause problems.

Dr. Jazmine, who posts as The Mom Psychologist, says that as mums, dads and caregivers, we are sometimes guilty of triggering the bad behaviour that we’re trying to avoid in our children.

It isn’t anyone’s fault and we do these things often without even realising they are happening until after.

The expert, who is also a mum of three, identifies five behaviours that she says parents should be aware of so that we can recognise and stop them before they happen.

5 things that can result in kids’ bad behaviour

The five things to look out for are as follows:

1. We ask instead of telling our kids.
2. We repeat ourselves multiple times before taking action. Of course, when we do this it makes sense that our kids don’t take us seriously and think we’re just saying something rather than doing as that’s usually the status quo. This one is likely to hit home for a lot of parents!
3. Our rules change depending on how we’re feeling.
4. We lecture when we are already dysregulated.
5. We decide to negotiate even though we have already said no.

She advises that small shifts can result in big changes and advises working on just one per week.

The child psychologist says that the five tips below should help make a difference to both you and your kids.

She advises: ‘when you shift these 5 patterns, you’ll see behavior shift too’.

• Tell instead of ask.
• Say it once, then add action.
• Be consistent even when you’re exhausted.
• Don’t negotiate after you’ve said no.
• Regulate first, teach later.

Dr. Jazmine has over 1.2 million followers on Instagram and says she shares tips and advice to help parents and guardians decode behaviour.

Do you recognise any of these behaviours, and would you think differently about saying or doing them after hearing this expert’s take on how it can impact kids?