Posted by:

Michael Grose

We all have’ hot buttons’ that children can easily press to trigger a reaction.

Whining, eating problems, untidiness, messy bedrooms and sibling arguments are common buttons that trigger a strong reaction from one parent yet can be ignored by another.

It’s important to recognise those behaviours which lead to a strong reaction, as they are the ones which can cause the greatest parental concern.

Watch a young child in a supermarket who wants to provoke a reaction. He only has to ask his mum for a sweet, stand back and let events run their course. When the request is refused he throws himself on the ground to begin a full-scale tantrum. He knows it will gain the desired response from his mother, who will give in for peace. He knows his mum felt vulnerable to a tantrum in public and he know the right button to press.

What hot buttons do your kids press to get a reaction or the response they want from you? Knowing that means you can do something about it, and react differently.

Learn about hot buttons; what to do when you lose your parenting cool and other simple, yet practical parenting ideas in my book Great Ideas for Tired Parents at www.parentingideas.com.au

Tags:

behaviour, buttons, discipline, hot, tantrums