My child is aggressive, what can I do?
There are many beautiful moments when your little one has what could be called “ideal behavior,” and you surely feel very happy about it. But there are other moments when your little one’s behavior is not what you expected, and biting, shouting, and hitting can be ways of expressing themselves.
What can I do?
Don’t take it personally
Remember, it is not your child’s intention to make you angry or not follow instructions. What they are seeking is to feel independent, and sometimes, when they can’t achieve that and feel frustrated, their response may be aggressive.
More discipline and less punishment
Ideally, establish clear boundaries and teach your child the correct way to behave. Give clear instructions in a firm tone.
Understand your child’s frustrations
It is important to know what situations or circumstances frustrate your child easily and find alternatives.
Build a safe home
Provide your child with a stable and safe home, with loving and firm discipline, setting boundaries, but most importantly, letting them feel your guidance and companionship.
Be a good role model
Whether it’s you or anyone who cares for your child, they should be a good role model. Everything you do, your child will learn.
Set clear rules
Children cannot follow rules if they don’t know them. Teach your child the rules, but above all, follow them yourself. Don’t change the rules every time a new situation arises. Be consistent.
Let them know you are proud of their good behavior
Discipline isn’t just for when your child misbehaves. Show your approval of good behavior. If your child feels motivated and respected, they are more likely to repeat the good behavior.
Teach them to use their words
Teach your child that instead of shouting, hitting, or kicking, they should use their words to express their feelings and thoughts. Show them how to use their words to communicate.
Listen
The most important part of teaching them to use their words is that you learn to listen when they use them.
The key to reducing aggressive behavior is to be consistent, not give in to bad behavior, but above all, apply discipline with respect and love.
If your child has very aggressive and irritable behavior, you should observe and try to identify if they are going through a situation that is worrying, tiring, or stressing them.
If this behavior continues for more than a few weeks and you see that their aggression does not decrease or even increases, you should consult with your pediatrician or a specialist.
Gym time with my baby
Step by step:
1. Lie your baby on their back, ensuring they are comfortable and you can see their face.
2. Gently take their legs and simulate the pedaling motion of riding a bicycle. Bring their knee towards their chest, alternating legs, 10 times per leg.
3. Then bring both knees towards the chest and gently stretch their legs, repeating this motion 10 times.
La Señora Caja
LOGRO A TRABAJAR
Colocar los juguetes de vuelta a la caja después de usarlos
ÁREA DE DESARROLLO
Desarrollo de la autonomía
¿QUÉ NECESITAS?
- Caja de cartón
- juguetes
- marcadores
- material de decoración
PASO A PASO
- Invita a tu peque a crear una caja especial para guardar sus juguetes con todos los materiales para decorar.
- Pídele a tu peque que escoja los juguetes que quiere guardar en ella y ayúdalo a colocarlos dentro.
- Lléva luego la caja a una habitación en la que pueda jugar con los juguetes.
- Invita a tu peque a jugar juntos y al terminar de jugar explícale que debe guardar las cosas en la “Señora Caja”. Repite todos los días la frase “A guardar, a guardar cada cosa en su lugar” para hacer de esto un hábito.
Painting buddy
Objective:
Follow instructions and wait for one´s turn while having fun painting.
Materials:
- Paint
- Painting brush
- Crayons or markers
- Drawing paper and easel or marker boards or clipboards
Learning experience:
Set two large pieces of paper side by side on a table or clip them next to each other on a large easel. Tell your little one that he is the leader and instruct him to paint a picture, one step at a time. You or another partner are going to follow the leader, painting the exact same shapes and lines in the same places on your paper. Set a timer for a few minutes to indicate when that partner’s turn is over and then switch. If you think your child needs to see first how the activity is done, you may be the leader first.
A little twist: (1) Draw more complex pictures or put several simple shapes together to make a picture (e.g. a sailboat, a sun, a car). (2) Take the visual cue out of the equation and allow the leader to cue his partner verbally for what to paint next.
Activities like this help your little one work on self-control, control his behavior, follow instructions, as well as paying attention, major components of the functional skills.
I DO IT YOU DO IT
Objective
Your child will be able to share and pass their toys on their own or if is requested.
Materials
- Your child’s favorite toys or objects.
Learning Experience
With this fun activity, your child will be able to play and share objects or toys knowing that sharing can be fun.
Invite your child to play a new game “I do it You do it” using the song “The wheels on the bus” rhyme, sing “this is the way I clap my hands, I clap my hands, I clap my hands while playing both together”, start with a simple action like clapping your hands, invite your child to follow your actions.
Sing the song again this time add another action and your baby’s name “this is the way [your child’s name] smiles, [your child’s name] smiles, [your child’s name] smiles while playing both together”, having fun together.
Now sing the song again, but this time show your child’s favorite toy and sing “this is the way we pass the toy, we pass the toy, we pass the toy while playing both together” while you hand the toy to your kid, sing it again and extend your hand to get it back, don’t forget to thank your little one and give the toy back so they understand that sharing is okay and they will get it back.
Keep playing a few more times while your child shows interest.