Parents are always happy when their child behaves.  However, children do not always behave the way they’re expected to, because they need their parents help.  As parents, you may have found yourselves in so many situations where you had to give in to your children’s whining just so they’d stop; or you may have gotten tired of telling your children to clean up their rooms, so you do it for them; or you allow them to misbehave because you’ve been saying “no” too often. 

But is there a way to help a child behave properly without giving up or giving in?  When parents’ focus more on the right things that their child does, it helps children stop doing the wrong things. Here are some helpful tips to inspire positive behavior in your children:

Praise the good
Keep a close watch on your child, and catch them doing the things you want.  If you find them doing a good thing, give them lots of praises.  Affirmation always encourages a child to continue the positive behavior.   Here are ways to effectively praise your child:

Watch for behaviors that are praiseworthy
Do not try praising all the things your child does.  Wait for something previously unnoticed or unexpected good behavior to praise your child. 

Praise immediately
Don’t wait till later to praise a good thing that your child has done.  When you notice positive behavior, be sure to mention it.

Look them in the eye
A child is more likely to accept and recognize your praises if you focus your eyes on them.  This will let them feel your sincerity and love.

Touch them
Praise is very powerful when it’s combined with a touch, a hug, or a caress.  Let them feel how much you’re happy about what they did through the power of your touch.

Be specific
Exactly say what you have found worth for the praise.  Take for instance, “You behaved patiently inside the store, I’m very proud of you”.

Do not follow with a negative comment
Be sure that you allow enough time for the praise to “sink in” before disciplining your child for misbehavior.

Ignore slight violations
There are times when simply ignoring a negative behavior makes it leave.  This can be quite difficult as you’ll experience some bad behavior stages –first, the behavior will worsen, then it will become unbearable, but once the child realizes that they’re no longer getting any attention for the bad behavior, they will abandon it.   However, be sure that you never ignore a negative behavior that’s dangerous to your child or to other people. 

Say yes often
As much as possible, say yes to your child when an opportunity calls for it.  Parents often say “no” several times during a day that causes a child to be more insistive of what they want.  Choose the battles wisely, and allow the child to have more freedom while upholding limits.

Positively rephrase commands
A child responds better to specific commands.  Say want you really want rather than commanding what you do not want.  Take for instance when you say, “Stop running”, you can rephrase that with “you need to walk”.

Be consistent
It is important that your child knows what to expect from their parents.  Inconsistency will only confuse children and can lead to more negative behaviors.

Spend “special time”
According to expert child therapists, spending special time with your child, such as doing scheduled activities every week, is a crucial way of increasing the positive behavior in your child, as well as developing better relationship with them. 

Helping your child develop good behave will take lots of patience and continuous follow-up.  You’ll have more better and peaceful days, as well as improved relationship with your children if you discover the right ways to help them behave.