Seriously, all parents have been in this situation before. For whatever reason, your kids are acting out. They’re stomping their feet and yelling at you. Older kids may even call you names. They are making ugly faces and disrespectful remarks. Many of them believe that they can get away with everything by crying their eyes out. And there you are in the middle of the park or the mall, feeling dejected, humiliated, and powerless.
What would happen if your friends from church backed out of disciple-making movements you’re supporting? Would they be successful in their goals? Backing down from your kids is going to be the mistake of a lifetime. You cannot give them the power to dictate what will happen every time you go out of the house. You cannot allow them to rule over your household just because you can’t take the tantrums anymore.
You need to take back that power from them. You have to let them know that yelling, bellowing, and making a scene will get them nowhere; that it will even send them to the doghouse. Do not be a hostage to your kids’ behavior. It is okay to discipline them in public as long as you do it with respect for your child and the people around you. No, you shouldn’t yell or scream at them. But, yes, you should level with them and firmly tell them that there are going to be consequences to their actions.
What It Means for Your Kids When You Give in to Their Bad Behavior
What happens when you give in to your kids’ bad behavior in public? They will use this power against you. Now they know that because you are embarrassed to the core of your being, you will give them what they want when they misbehave. Soon, they will do these things at home, too. Your usually sweet and gentle children will learn how to abuse the power you have given them.
For kids, they will learn that there’s no need for them to behave. They can get what they want from you faster by acting out. Soon, they’re not only doing this at home and in public. They are also doing this in school. Then, they will do it to everyone—friends, relatives, grandparents, peers, etc. Your kids are going to be annoying and uncivilized.
Kids throw tantrums for different reasons. Whether it be because they are hungry or frustrated or want something, the rule remains the same: don’t give in. The moment you do, you will fall into a trap that may be hard to get out of. You will start to feel comfortable about giving in to their tantrums because it is easier to just buy the toy Remember that you are doing this for your kids, too. When they get their way by throwing tantrums, you are not teaching them how to be patient or how to solve their problems. They’ll then go into adulthood without a complete picture of how they need to handle their issues. That’s going to be a problem when they try to build careers and relationships.
