There are no Bad Little Kids

Yet they are the neatest things ever to happen to anyone. I love mine. I may not like yours and I certainly do not expect you to like mine. But I know you love yours just like I do mine.

Kids are just so cool so there are really no bad little kids.  They are always on the lookout for a good time.  They eat when they are hungry, sleep when they are tired, and love you unconditionally.  And they are your responsibility.  You are responsible for what they learn and how they act.  Kids act the way they do because they were taught to act that way.

BEING BAD LITTLE KIDS IT IS NOT THE KIDS’ FAULT

You know those little kids you see in the mall and in restaurants that are just so bad?  The ones who throw their food, run all over the place screaming, and make everyone around them miserable? The ones so ill-mannered you just want to jerk them up yourself and take control of the situation?  Those kids appear bad and they drive you crazy!!

What I have to remind myself is that the little kids are not bad at all and do not need to be spanked or scolded.  There are no bad little kids; there are only bad parents.  It is not the kid’s fault he is running around the restaurant screaming like a banshee.  It is the parents’ fault.  The little kid does not need to be reprimanded, the mama and daddy do. 

Little kids behave exactly the way they are allowed to behave—no better, no worse.  They push their limits.  They are supposed to push their limits; it’s part of growing up.  It is the responsibility of the parents to set limits and boundaries for the child to live within, then discipline accordingly when they do not.

DISCIPLINE IS A MUST

There are no bad little kids; parents must love their kids enough to discipline them.  A lack of discipline is simply a lack of love.  I’m not saying you should spank them or stand them in a corner or give them a time out.  That is your business and there are people much more qualified than I to talk about those things.  Just be consistent in your discipline and try to make the punishment fit the crime. And please, do it privately.  Do not scream and smack your kid in front of the rest of us.  It is embarrassing to the kid and to all who have to witness it.   

Remember, there are no bad little kids; they are only copying what they see from parents and other members of the family.

Article written by Larry Winget. Click to see more of Larry's works.