Is Shouting an Effective Strategy? Part 2

Shouting is not an effective strategy for guiding children towards good behaviour.  Why is that so?

Shouting tells the child that the adult is not in control of himself and his emotions. Children soon learn to tune out the yelling and continue to behave as always. They also learn that certain buttons can be pushed in order to get the adult to lose control!

This is one of the primary reasons why educators and parents feel there are some children who can never be corrected. They assume shouting at them will yield the desired results, while in effect, the reverse is true. Shouting sends out wrong signals to the child. It is very important that the adult stays calm, no matter how unacceptable the child’s behaviour may seem. Staying calm gives one a better chance to model as well as teach good behaviour.

The next logical question would then be; “How do we deal with a misbehaving or an adamant child?”

Well, there is no quick fix for a single event of misbehaviour. Good behaviour is something that is learnt over time, with the support of an adult who can set clear boundaries for the child (and his behaviour) and who can be unconditional in his acceptance of the child.