How to Stop Bad Habits in your Kids

Children are children, prone to committing habits, which could be irritating at times. You must remember, though, that this is a phase that all kids pass through. Creating a big fuss about it may worsen the bad habit and forever scar your child. As parents, you should understand that there are reasons why your child is doing them.

Some of these bad habits include nail biting, nose picking, hair pulling, bed wetting and thumb sucking. Children naturally outgrow these habits as they grow older. To help you stop them, here are some ways to do it.

Determine the root of the problem

Thumb sucking and other habits are developed by your child to cope with an underlying problem. You should find the root cause and treat it from there. Thumb sucking may be caused by your kid not being able to sleep. You could use soft, mellow music to lull him to sleep.

You could use a pacifier if he could not stop the habit abruptly. Do not unnecessarily draw attention to his bad habits, though, because he may become more conscious, which may exacerbate the situation.

Reward positive development

Every time your child is able to stop doing the bad habit, reward him with something he could appreciate. An example is rewarding him with a teddy bear to cuddle when sleeping, if he does not wet his bed.

When he wets his bed again, do not reprimand him harshly, especially in front of other people. You may state in a loving manner that his teddy bear would prefer a warm and dry bed, and then hug him to show that his bad habit does not make you love him less.

Persevere and be patient

Keep praising and rewarding improvements with kind words and lots of love. Persevere and be patient because some children have a longer time to get rid of their bad habits; your child may be one of them.

Let him feel your unconditional love through all this phase in his life. Sometimes, love shown outwardly could be the solution to a child’s bad habits.

Channel your child’s attention to useful hobbies

You can also provide your child with useful hobbies, such as, painting, drawing, coloring, or educational toys that could keep him busy while learning. You could also provide him with children’s books that he can browse and grow interested in. Determine his interests and develop them; this could draw him away from his bad habits.

These are simple but useful methods that could stop your kid’s bad habits. Only you would know your child’s preferences, so you can adapt these steps according to what is applicable to him.