3 Reasons why Kids are on their worst behavior with their parents

Why does it seem that children are on their worst behavior in the presence of their parents? Here are some of the following reasons.

1.In order to attract attention

Kids often display more erratic and extreme behavior when they are trying to attract our attention from elsewhere. Negative attention is still better than no attention for kids as they simply desire to be noticed. This could possibly be a warning sign of neglect by parents as well. Moreover, kids feel most secure and safe with their parents and trust that they can handle even the worst recesses of their chaotic behavior.

2. Inconsistencies in parents' behavior

Inconsistencies in the behavior and actions of the parents themselves when dealing with their children. Parents themselves display more inconsistency in their actions and behavior around their children as compared to other prominent adults such as teachers or babysitters in children’s lives. For instance, teachers and babysitters usually have some manner of operating procedure when carrying out their responsibilities of taking care of children. Henceforth, as a matter of stability and survival, they’ll adhere more consistently to rules and routines by offering less leeway than parents when it comes to punishing acts of misbehavior for example. A child who is told to stop throwing a tantrum multiple times before the parent finally succeeds in making him stop through implementing punishments or threats may learn that, although sometimes his/her behavior would not be tolerated, other times it eventually will be, and this makes the bad behavior more difficult to extinguish.

3.Testing boundaries

Due to their inquisitive nature, children will always seek to learn more about the complex world they live in. As they are closest to their parents, children often seek to master the things they need to at each developmental level by testing their parents. After all, due to familial ties and kinship, children are intelligent beings that may realis that the consequences would not be as dire as angering a stranger. In doing so, children are literally trying to see where the boundaries are, or if they exist in the first place. Although children may be particularly obnoxious or rowdy during this testing phase, parents should understand that this is just a phase and that is actually normal.  Nonetheless, it is crucial for the parents to set boundaries and limits and most importantly, be consistent in following through on punishments and rewards et cetera. As such, children may develop an accurate sense of what they can or can not do, thus possibly resulting in them to move on from their rebellious phase.

In short, showing your children more love and care is crucial for letting them know that they are appreciated and loved. Establishing clear and consistent boundaries also allows children to determine what is acceptable or not.