I hear you moms....all the whining and complaining we heard from the four year year old has developed into eye rolling, back talk, and sass. And no, ten years have not passed. I'm talkin' bout the average six and seven year old. These kids look so cute and angelic....but then they open their mouth and the smack talk begins. What to do about the attitude!?!
TRY THIS: Watch television with your child. Share your feelings and beliefs about what you see on television. "Honey, I didn't like the way Blueberry Billie spoke to her friend Cupcake Cathy. I know she was upset, but she wasn't being a good friend when she spoke that way." "Did you hear the way Billy spoke to her mother? I didn't like that because it shows that she didn't care about her mother's feelings."
WHY? Attitude in kids has many different origins (I'll tackle more in the next post). One of them is copying behavior they see on television. You would be surprised at how much snark, mean spirited, rude behavior is exhibited by cherubic cartoon characters or super cute kids in a half hour period. And guess what, this is one place where kids learn the TUDE. Spending some time watching what your kids watch provides insight into what your kids are exposed to. More importantly, it gives you the opportunity to share your values about how people should be treated without focusing on your child's behavior (which may increase defensiveness and the likelihood of shutting down).
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