GROCERY STORE DISASTER
Have you seen grocery store brats? Here’s the scoop!! Two weeks ago I was doing some last minute shopping in the local grocery store. I had two things on my mind: instant rice and rotisserie chicken! (It was for chicken bog…I can share the recipe later!) I was making my final turn onto ‘Isle 5’ and I walked headlong into a swirling tornado of emotion! A young four year old child was making an absolutely horrific scene on the floor, knocking over cans and boxes as he yelled and screamed. At once I felt both frustration toward the young child as well as pity toward the mother who was trying desperately to gain control of the situation. Unfortunately, over his four year lifespan she most likely had trained him to act that way!
NO ONE LIKES BRATS!
No one likes brats! We are talking about children that misbehave, are unruly, require constant supervision, and make all the decisions for mom and dad because they have been trained to act that way. Who trained them? The parents did, of course! If you want your child to turn out like that, here are nine sure-fire ways to kick start them down the path of bratty misbehavior. (Click here to read an article on the 5 Deadly Sins of Parenting)
1. Never say ‘no’
Parents, saying ‘no’ is so important in the development of your child. It teaches them early on that they don’t get everything they want in life. This is a critical life lesson but one that is often overlooked! You should say it kindly and should never be abrasive. The goal isn’t to draw out a negative response but to teach that we don’t always get what we want!
2. Saying ‘yes’ after you say ‘no’
credit: Gerry Thomasen
Oh, kind and sweet parents, when you say ‘no’ you need to mean it! Telling your child ‘no’ and then giving in to their pleads only teaches them that they can get what they want as long as they cry or whine long enough. This establishes that their behavior is actually in control of the situation and they are rewarded when their behavior is bad!
3. Put the child’s wants above the family’s needs
There are some times that we have to do what is best for our family and it doesn’t include what one individual child wants. Our children have had to learn that sometimes we sacrifice what we want for the good of others. What a great life lesson!
4. Always take your child’s word over his teacher’s
This is a huge mistake that will cost you dearly. Not only will you look foolish for defending your child even when he or she has clearly done wrong, but you are teaching your child that you are more concerned about your own reputation than knowing the truth.
5. Don’t respect your authorities but demand your child respect his!
You can talk bad about your boss all night long but you punish your child for talking disrespectfully to you. In other words, I don’t care how you treat other authorities but you must treat me with respect. This automatically breeds disrespect in the heart of your child!
6. Let your child quit when things get hard
Life gets hard. Classes are hard. Losing is hard. Failing is hard! What will you teach your child when life gets hard? Will you let them quit their team or drop that difficult class? Teach them to endure though the hardness of life. They will be better for it!
7. Allow them to sulk on the floor
In other words, teach your children how to have controlled reactions when things don’t go their way. It is ok to be disappointed! Our disappointment, however, cannot cause us to become unruly in our behavior.
8. Always trust your child
“Dad, don’t you trust me?” The answer is NO!!! I don’t trust you because you
credit: Luis Marina
have a sin nature just like me that pushes us to do wrong. I don’t trust you because I was your age once and know how hard temptations push on the will. Don’t get me wrong, each of my children has an earned level of trust that allows us to operate quite well as a family, but that trust had to be earned!
9. Spare them from any suffering
A little hardship along life’s way goes a long way to create resilience. A child that has been sheltered from every level of hardship will grow up thinking that life is never hard. That is just not true. Life is full of difficulties and trials that demands resilience of character.
So there you have my 9 ways to raise a brat! I hope you see how these small areas of discipline and correction can make a major difference in how your child reacts to life’s circumstances! Do you have any other tips to pass along?
I would love for you to go to my Facebook page and share your comments! I’m sure they will be a help to other parents.
By the way, here is another article that I wrote on the importance of family devotions…I hope it encourages you as well!!
DJHarry Isaiah 64:8 We are the clay!
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