A Fine Parent

A Life Skills Blog Exclusively For Parents

About Viola Tan

Viola Tan was an ex certified facilitator at a polytechnic who had failed her first teaching certification assessment with scathing remarks of being "didactic" and "overbearing on students". After seeing how students became resentful, uncooperative and unmotivated in her class, she made the slow, painful change towards respectful curiosity where students are co-actors in creating rigorous, viable solutions to problems. More interestingly, "bad" students' learning interest, confidence and motivation grew. She now reflects on and (tries her best to) practice these principles as a mom and to other young children who come across her way. Her reflections are accessed from: http://childsgifts.co/confidence

10 “Behavioral Issues” That Are Actually Good For Your Kids

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(This article is part of the Emotional Intelligence series. Get free article updates here.)

10 "Behavioral Issues" That Are Actually Good For Your Kids - Main PosterKids are cute. But boy, can they press our buttons.

Aren’t you sometimes awed by how easily your little angels can push you to the edge?

I know I am!

51% of my time as a parent is filled with joy. The other 49% is spent managing my own internal turmoil from interacting with a growing, curious being learning her way to function in the world with nary a trace of concern for the havoc she wreaks in me.

So, it is with a smile on my face (and the mantra “this too shall pass” playing in a loop in my head) that I present to you this list of “behavioral issues” in children that have driven me mad as a mother and an ex-teacher… but I am learning to cope with, because of how instrumental they are in helping a child learn, grow and develop.

#1 Throwing Tantrums

“I want sweets now.”

I’m in the middle of cooking dinner. I’ve had a busy day. I’m tired. My spider senses are starting to tingle with the premonition that I’m going to be part of a train wreck. I muster up the last of my calm control and respond, “In this family, we only have sweets after dinner.”

The incessant demand for sweets soon turns to screaming that has me boiling like the soup I was brewing for the family.

Why do they behave like this?

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