Positive Steps: Nurturing Good Behaviour in Young Minds

You’ve just finished cleaning your home. But within a few minutes, blocks are scattered everywhere, food spilt on the floor, clothes strewn haphazardly – everything is messy. Couple this with fights among siblings, disrespect for parents, and unnecessary tantrums, and you can only wish that your little kids behave responsibly.

There’s hope. You can certainly veer away from punishing and controlling your kids all the time. Cultivating kindness, resilience, and responsibility in young minds is of the essence. It takes the right approach to achieve positive results.

Above all, shower love on your child in the love language they understand.  Every child is different and not every child responds to affirmation in the same way.

1. Building a foundation for growth

When it comes to nurturing positive behaviour in kids, know that a solid foundation has long-term positive effects.

• Understand the roots

Children naturally behave differently at different stages of development. Knowing these growth phases helps you understand why kids act in a certain way. For instance, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) usually starts before they hit eight years, but no later than about 12 years. It makes kids aggressive, angry, and defiant around adults.

With this knowledge, you won’t castigate them for the seemingly silly things they do. Instead, you’ll understand the unseen forces influencing them and find prudent ways to positively direct their energies and emotions.

Emotions are a significant determinant of conduct. Thus, training young ones to master their emotional intelligence is crucial. Not just for everyday behaviour but also for academic prowess. Studies reveal that kids with higher emotional intelligence tend to get higher grades than those who’ve not mastered their emotions.

Encourage them to express their feelings without throwing tantrums. Teach them how to solve problems whenever they arise. Strengthen their empathy through role-playing and stories. And likewise, listen to their concerns empathetically.

• Create a fertile ground

A supportive environment helps shape your kid’s behavior. Strive to cultivate trust in their hearts. They shouldn’t view you as an inconsiderate person who’s hard to please. Celebrate the little achievements they make. A simple verbal praise could go a long way to building confidence. Your kid stays motivated and realizes the significance of their actions beyond mere compliance.

Avoid punishing them excessively. In most countries, more than 67% of children are subjected to violent discipline by caregivers. This is a violation of children’s rights. It’s hurtful to kids and they may not understand why they’re being beaten physically or psychologically tortured.

• Nourish from within

Ensure your kids have essential life skills, which help establish desirable traits. A kid with problem-solving and conflict resolution skills can handle challenges constructively and calmly without heated emotions. Self-awareness helps kids master their emotions, leading to rational exchanges and self-control.

Moreover, engage them in confidence building activities like drama classes, public speaking, and team sports. This helps them overcome fears and believe in themselves. Positive self-talk can also help. Encourage them to make affirmations like, ‘I’m more than able to do this.’

In essence, understanding the root of kids’ behaviours helps you embrace your kids’ shortcomings and shape their character.

2. Cultivate specific values

Be objective when it comes to teaching kids. Know the specific traits you want them to have.

• Kindness and compassion

Teach your kids how to treat others with kindness. For instance, they can help their friends with homework, share toys when playing, or write thank you notes to their teachers. Furthermore, nurture a sense of belonging in your family and neighborhood. Feeling as an integral member of a supportive community helps inculcate empathy in their young minds.

• Responsibility and integrity

Kids should be taught to be accountable. Assign them tasks matching their age. The younger ones can pack toys and tidy up their playroom or water plants. School goers can set the table or feed pets. And teens should be able to do laundry and shop for groceries. Hold them accountable for their actions. But don’t focus too much on punishment. Prioritize guidance. The integrity skills they acquire at this tender age will stick for the rest of their lives.

• Resilience and growth

While growing, kids will make a multitude of mistakes and face myriad challenges. But this shouldn’t deter them from pressing on. Show them how to bounce back from such pitfalls and forge ahead. Instill the never-give-up attitude in them. And let them know that quitting isn’t an option.

These values are fundamental to positive behaviour in children. Kids who master them thrive not just in their childhood but also in their teenage and adult life.

Conclusion

Nurturing good behaviour in young minds starts with an out-and-out understanding of what shapes their behaviour at different developmental stages. Knowing their emotions and desires lets you gently deal with the bad habits while inculcating essential life skills.

You may want to integrate technology to promote acquisition of positive practices. Expose them to educational apps and digital citizenship lessons. Just make sure to guard their innocence while online.

Also, don’t do it alone. Engage the wider community. Teachers and childcare providers can help you towards this goal as they spend a significant amount of time with the children. The healthy traits kids acquire at a tender age stick with them for decades.