The child who whines:
Tell him that you do not understand him when he uses “that” voice. He needs to use a nice voice for you to understand him properly.
The child who steals:
A child under three does not understand the implications of personal possessions. So he really doesn’t “steal” per se. However, he does have to learn about ownership so little incidents of stealing by the four-year-old should be dealt with firmly. Make the child return what he has taken. Ask him to consider how he would feel if something that belonged to him was stolen. If the child is over seven, he needs to be sent to a psychologist for help.
The child who bites:
Take the child aside and tell him firmly that biting hurts. Tell them how to use words to let other children know how he is feeling (remember, a child of two cannot do this).
The child who hits:
Give the child an alternative, such as a pillow to hit. Keep him busy with activities that allow for physical release, such as large motor activities.
The child who has a temper tantrum:
Remove the child from the company and try to ignore the tantrum as much as possible. When the child has finished, speak to him about what has happened and encourage him to use words to explain how he is feeling next time. Give the child an emotional outlet, such as having a run outside.
The child who is shy:
Do not force him to do anything. Involve him in conversations and never force him to do things in front of others.
The child who lies:
Children test the boundaries and lying is one of the things they test. However, a child should only be accused of lying when he is able to differentiate between right and wrong and when he deliberately tries to misrepresent the truth. By the age of three or four the child begins to be aware of what is morally correct. However, he has a vivid imagination at this age and is still trying to divide truth from fantasy. Also, the child this age may easily have forgotten what actually happened. By five or six years of age children have a better understanding and develop a conscience. They start to feel guilty when they have done something wrong. When dealing with a child who lies consistently, examine whether he does so to impress others, to avoid punishment, to look for attention, to get out of doing something he doesn’t enjoy or as a cry for help.
The child who tells tales constantly:
Ignore the tattling and give him your undivided attention when he does something good.