
HOW TO HANDLE BACKTALK FROM YOUR CHILD
Written by Lucy Hall
At some point in your parenting journey, your child is going to start talking back. While this behaviour is common in children of all ages, it’s not as cute as it was when they were little and can be slightly frustrating for parents. As your child gets older you’ll notice that they start talking back more. This is a way that children practise learning the new skills to help them with expressing themselves and gaining their independence.
Setting boundaries with your child on their talk back is important, as is understanding why they are doing it. Once you have a clear understanding, you can start developing some strategies to help you curb this unwanted behaviour.
So Why Do Children Talk Back
There can be many reasons why a child starts talking back. Some of the most common reasons can include:
They’re Trying To Assert Their Independence: As children get older, they start to want to make their own decisions and have their own opinions. Talking back is one way they can show you that they’re not babies anymore.
They’re Frustrated: When children are frustrated, they may lash out by talking back. This is especially common in young children who don’t have the language skills to express their emotions in a more appropriate way.
They’re Testing Your Limits: Children often talk back to see how far they can push you. They’re trying to figure out what your boundaries are and what they can get away with.
They’re Imitating Someone Else: Children learn by imitating the people around them. If they hear you or someone else talking back, they may start to do it themselves.
How to Handle Talking Back
There are a few things you can do to handle talking back in a positive way.
Stay Calm: It’s important to stay calm when your child talks back. If you get angry or upset, it will only make the situation worse.
Listen To Your Child: Before you react, take a moment to listen to what your child is saying. Try to understand their point of view and why they’re talking back.
Set Limits: Once you’ve listened to your child, it’s important to set limits on talking back. Let them know that it’s not acceptable to talk back to you or other adults.
Be Consistent: It’s important to be consistent with your discipline. If you allow your child to talk back one day and not the next, they’ll get confused and won’t know what your expectations are.
Praise Good Behaviour: When your child talks to you respectfully, be sure to praise them. This will help them to learn that talking back is not the way to get your attention.
Tips for Preventing Talking Back
There are a few things you can do to help prevent talking back in the first place:
Set Clear Expectations: Let your child know that talking back is not acceptable. Explain why it’s important to be respectful and to listen to adults.
Model Good Behaviour: Children learn by imitating the people around them. If you want your child to talk to you respectfully, you need to talk to them respectfully.
Spend Time With Your Child: The more time you spend with your child, the better you’ll understand their needs and the less likely they are to talk back.
Be Patient: It takes time for children to learn how to behave respectfully. Don’t get discouraged if your child talks back occasionally. Just keep working with them and eventually they’ll get it.
Talking back is a normal part of child development. By understanding why your child is talking back and by using positive discipline techniques, you can help them to learn how to express themselves respectfully.