
It is normal for children to test limits, whine, have meltdowns and even lie occasionally. But how do you know if your child's behavior is not typical of his developmental stage?
Here are some indications:
The behavior causes significant strains on family relationships. Your family tends to argue more often than not.
The behavior is frequent and lasts a long time. The behavior occurs at least every day or multiple times a day and can last for long periods of time.
The behavior has a negative impact a child’s academic performance.
Your child’s difficulty following rules or siting still is disrupting his learning (and other student’s learning) or the behavior may put the child at risk for suspension, or expulsion from school.
The behavior is negatively impacting your child’s social interactions. Your child has a hard time making and maintaining friends.
Your child does not respond to discipline techniques. When a behavior is particularly challenging, it may be difficult to find discipline strategies that work. If you feel like you have “tried everything” and “nothing works”, it may be time to seek help. Sometimes it is a matter of obtaining the right tools and resources to manage such challenging behaviors.
Even if your child is exhibiting normal behaviors you may still want to change them. This is where I come in. I can help you figure out whether the behavior is in the normal range and then come up with a plan to help you better manage that behavior and reduce the frequency and intensity of it.