It's upsetting for parents to see their normally compliant child act unexpectedly. It's annoying because it can appear out of nowhere and leave you feeling like you're back at square one.
You probably expected some misbehavior from your child before they were born. After all, you likely did not follow all of your parents' rules when you were a kid. Friends and acquaintances frequently dealt with their children's tantrums in public places such as supermarkets and restaurants.
Children will put their parents' patience and authority limits to the test, and their parents will respond with consequences. That is, after all, the nature of things. It's just one of those things that come with having kids.
You probably didn't expect your child's behavior to deteriorate over time, despite your best efforts as a parent, and your child eventually refuses to respond to your punishment. Let's shed light on this more!
What’s Considered Normal Behavior For A 4-year-old?
It may appear that your child is constantly testing you. However, their behavior is typical for a child their age.
As your child approaches kindergarten, they may become more rule-aware and willing to follow those rules.
The following are examples of typical behavior for a 4-year-old child, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):
- Demonstrating increasing independence
- Distinguishing between fantasy and reality
- Being more demanding at times and cooperative at others, and desiring to please and be like friends
How To Discipline A 4-Year-old Who Is Defiant?
Dealing with a difficult four-year-old can be exhausting. It may cause you to question whether your efforts are benefiting your child. You should know whether your discipline methods are beneficial or detrimental to your child.
Consider Yourself In His Shoes
It is far easier to convey the benefits of listening to a 4-year-old through your eyes than speaking directly to them.
On the other hand, a four-year-old may not always respond to logic, but they will respond to love.
Even though both expressions ultimately require the same behavior, their contexts could not be more dissimilar.
The parent may better understand their child's needs by phrasing the request while clarifying their expectations and why. (For example, if your child wants to play for an extended period, you may have to allow it after dinner.)
Vocal Reprimands
When dealing with toddlers who are always eager to cause trouble, vocal reprimands are necessary. However, using verbal reprimands sparingly is essential. This necessitates resisting the urge to repeat yourself a thousand times. If you act like that, your child will never take you seriously again.
Always direct your criticism to the child's actions, not the child himself. Instead of saying, "Johnny, you are terrible for running away from me in the parking lot," you could say, "Johnny, I don't like that you ran away from me in the parking lot."
Give Them Some Space, And Be Patient
Patience is required to interact successfully with a 4-year-old. If you and your child have a communication breakdown that results in tantrums, you should give the child some space.
Inform the child that you will give them time and space to figure out what they did to irritate their emotions. When you return, you can continue talking about the problem.
In this way, your child may learn empathy, which will come out more naturally in their interactions with you and others.
Find Out What's Causing Your Four-year-bad Old's Behavior
Before jumping to conclusions, looking into potential causes of your child's misbehavior is best. It is not easy, but it is beneficial and successful in the long run.
To fully understand the child's reasoning and perspective, ask them why they did something wrong or behaved the way they did.
This is an excellent method for validating their rage and determining what motivated them to act. Making mistakes can also provide your four-year-old with valuable experience.
Furthermore, it provides a risk-free environment in which your child can thoroughly learn about themself. In the long run, it will be the best option for assisting your child in changing undesirable behaviors.
Look For Justification Before Becoming Angry
This is a more challenging but wonderful approach to handling a disobedient four-year-old.
Consider complimenting the conduct with a statement rather than defending your child's hitting other kids.
"What made you attack your brother just now? You're aware that it's incorrect "is an example of such a sentence.
Saying, "You must be furious with your brother to strike him like that," can help you prevent this.
Doing this gives the anger's beginnings some credence and provides a framework for determining its sources.
This is a safe environment for your kid to make errors and grow from them and a solid base for developing self-awareness.
As a consequence, fewer harmful behaviors will be committed.
You must consider how your parenting style has affected your child's growth to improve their conduct.
Children's responses to different parenting philosophies might be quite different.
Instead of using a generic approach, consider tailoring it to the requirements of the particular kid.
You may be able to exercise greater control over your child's behavior and choices if you recognize that they are individuals with their worldviews.
Conclusion
There's no denying that 4-year-olds can be difficult at times. This, like many other difficult aspects of parenting, is only temporary.
You might find it helpful to view your child's actions at this age as part of a healthy developmental trajectory that will eventually make them stronger and more functioning. Speak with your doctor if you and your child are struggling with specific behavior and could benefit from some advice.
If you're at a loss for what to do about your child's worsening behavior and don't know what to do, consult a professional or institute a routine punishment.
Our article addressed several issues that frequently arise for parents of 4-year-olds. Try implementing the ones you believe will be most beneficial to your child.
