It is necessary to avoid being too strict with kids to avoid raising them in resentful and rebellious individual. Let us take a look at the parental behaviour exhibited by parents who are too strict.Discipline is one of the most important ingredients of building a healthy childhood and yet many parents often misunderstand the concept of discipline confusing it with strictness. There are many parents who end up being too strict with their kids and their kids become resentful and rebellious. Here are some signs that will help you recognize whether you fall into the category of a strict parent. In this articleYou Have a No Tolerance PolicyYou Cannot Tolerate SillinessThere are Too Many Restrictions on Your KidsIncessantly High ExpectationsHand out Directions All the TimeNot Offering ChoicesYou Have a No Tolerance PolicyYou have rigid non flexible rules like “Dinner time is at 9 p.m. “or “no candy after dinner” and do not tolerate any exceptions. Any time your kids flout your rules you immediately scold or punish them without analysing the circumstances. The rules are also mostly made by you without consulting your kids. A no tolerance policy can generate temporary fear in the mind of your children but in the long run will not motivate them to obey you in the long run.You Cannot Tolerate SillinessWell, to say the truth most kids revel in silliness, pranks and outlandish jokes. Children have an acute sense of humour that many adults do not understand or appreciate. If you find yourself getting irritated at your kid’s jokes or silly behaviour all the time then maybe it is time for you to rethink your perspective. As a parent, you know you are too strict when you are unable to appreciate the innocence and gaiety that children bring to your life.There are Too Many Restrictions on Your KidsIf you notice that your children are always reeling under a bundle of rules then it is a sign that you are too strict with them. You can always have a differently structured set of rules than other parents. But if you are always identifiable as the strictest parent from amongst a group of random parents then maybe it is time to review your stand on strictness.Incessantly High ExpectationsIt is okay for you to expect good things out of your kids. The problem happens when expectations are pegged too high and you expect your kid to fulfil them all the time. You constantly push your kids to be at the top of their class in every test and to stand first in every race. It is evident that most kids will not be able to live up to these expectations and when they fail you punish or reprimand them making the situation worse. Too much strictness often translates into raised expectation bars which suck out the pleasure from childhood.Hand out Directions All the TimeIf you find yourself always issuing instructions like “stand up straight”, “do not drag your feet”, “eat properly” etc then it is a sign of over bearing strictness. Children will not appreciate being talked down to all the time and sooner or later they will learn to tune you out. Learn to overlook little things and save your instructions for critical issues and you will have a better chance of being listened to.Not Offering ChoicesAlways offering close ending statements like “go and make your bed now” is a big sign of an overtly strict parent. If you notice yourself not giving choices to your kids then you need to think of ways of modifying your behaviour. Asking things like “will you clean your desk first or make your bed first” will help you project a more cooperative approach. Your children will be more inclined to listen to you when they have choices.Being too strict with your kids will only make them resentful and rebellious so if you identify the above mentioned signs in your parental behaviour then try breaking this habit at the earliest.When is it necessary to be strict with kids? What are the effects of being too strict with kids? Is it possible to discipline kids without being too strict? Discuss here.
It is necessary to avoid being too strict with kids to avoid raising them in resentful and rebellious individual. Let us take a look at the parental behaviour exhibited by parents who are too strict.Discipline is one of the most important ingredients of building a healthy childhood and yet many parents often misunderstand the concept of
discipline confusing it with strictness. There are many parents who end up being too strict with their kids and their kids become resentful and rebellious. Here are some signs that will help you recognize whether you fall into the category of a strict parent.
You Have a No Tolerance Policy
You have rigid non flexible rules like “Dinner time is at 9 p.m. “or “no candy after dinner” and do not tolerate any exceptions. Any time your kids flout your rules you immediately scold or
punish them without analysing the circumstances. The rules are also mostly made by you without consulting your kids. A no tolerance policy can generate temporary fear in the mind of your children but in the long run will not motivate them to obey you in the long run.
You Cannot Tolerate Silliness
Well, to say the truth most kids revel in silliness, pranks and outlandish jokes. Children have an acute sense of humour that many adults do not understand or appreciate. If you find yourself getting irritated at your kid’s jokes or silly
behaviour all the time then maybe it is time for you to rethink your perspective. As a parent, you know you are too strict when you are unable to appreciate the innocence and gaiety that children bring to your life.
There are Too Many Restrictions on Your Kids
If you notice that your children are always reeling under a bundle of rules then it is a sign that you are too strict with them. You can always have a differently structured set of rules than other parents. But if you are always identifiable as the strictest parent from amongst a group of random parents then maybe it is time to review your stand on strictness.
Incessantly High Expectations
It is okay for you to expect good things out of your kids. The problem happens when expectations are pegged too high and you expect your kid to fulfil them all the time. You constantly push your kids to be at the top of their class in every test and to stand first in every race. It is evident that most kids will not be able to live up to these expectations and when they fail you punish or reprimand them making the situation worse. Too much strictness often translates into raised expectation bars which suck out the pleasure from childhood.
Hand out Directions All the Time
If you find yourself always issuing instructions like “stand up straight”, “do not drag your feet”, “eat properly” etc then it is a sign of over bearing strictness. Children will not appreciate being talked down to all the time and sooner or later they will learn to tune you out. Learn to overlook little things and save your instructions for critical issues and you will have a better chance of being listened to.
Not Offering Choices
Always offering close ending statements like “go and make your bed now” is a big sign of an overtly strict parent. If you notice yourself not giving choices to your kids then you need to think of ways of modifying your behaviour. Asking things like “will you clean your desk first or make your bed first” will help you project a more cooperative approach. Your children will be more inclined to
listen to you when they have choices.
Being too strict with your kids will only make them resentful and rebellious so if you identify the above mentioned signs in your parental behaviour then try breaking this habit at the earliest.
When is it necessary to be strict with kids? What are the effects of being too strict with kids? Is it possible to discipline kids without being too strict? Discuss here.
