How to Deal With Your Child's Negative Attitude

As children get older, many parents find themselves in a power struggle with their kids. Pre-teens and teens, in particular, seem to have a "whatever" attitude toward school, homework, housework, responsibilities and life in general. You might find yourself wondering, "What happened to my sweet little boy?" You are not alone. All parents face these growing attitudes. As your child develops and matures, he will begin to test boundaries and fight harder to assert his identity and claim his independence. These years might be challenging, but you can find ways to deal with your child's negative attitude.

Instructions

    • 1

      Stay calm. Don't fight attitude with attitude. That will only make matters worse. Instead, respond pleasantly and move on. For example, if your child says, "You're being so unfair," put a smile on your face and say, "I'm sorry you feel that way but this is the way it has to be." Then move on to another subject. Once your child realizes that her nasty attitude does not bother you, her tantrum should subside.

    • 2

      Demand respect. Let your child know you will not tolerate being spoken to in a disrespectful manner. Set clear expectations and consequences for disrespectful behavior. Once consequences have been set, adhere to them. Don't let disrespectful behavior slide. If you do, your child will be more likely to continue disrespecting you in the future.

    • 3

      Stand your ground. Don't give in to your child's negative attitude. If you get frustrated and give him what he wants, he will realize that having an attitude is a method to get his way. But if you don't budge, despite whatever tantrums he might throw, he will quickly tire himself out and eventually understand that his attitude is ineffective.

    • 4

      Don't try to change your child's attitude. If your child doesn't like to do homework or hates her after-school job, don't try to make her "want" to do schoolwork or "want" to work. You can't change your child's attitude overnight. Instead, focus on teaching your child important life skills such as ambition and work ethic. Your child will need these skills whether she applies them to something she wants to do or not. Don't try to convince her that her attitude is wrong and you are right. Focus on the behavior you want to change while ignoring the attitude. She will eventually outgrow the attitude and be left with the life skills you instilled in her to succeed.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How to Convince a Son He Has Picked the Wrong Girl
      Perhaps one of the toughest things about being a parent is learning to let go as your child grows up and makes his own life. This certainly applies to the partners your child chooses to date. If your son is seeing a girl that you dont like or that do
    • How to Deal With a Pokemon Addict
      As every parent knows, once a boy hits the age of six or seven, hes likely to become hooked on Pokemon-those adorable Japanese trading cards featuring imaginatively named critters (for some reason, girls seem to be largely immune to this phenomenon).
    • How to Set Limits and Boundaries
      Setting limits and boundaries in a relationship is one way to let others know what you want and how you want it. You can set limits and boundaries within a romantic relationship, a professional relationship or with your own children. Knowing how to s