All children can be defiant, fussy, whiny, hurtful to others, excessively angry, withdrawn, constantly crying, or refuse to eat or sleep—once in a while. But when these behaviors become habits, it becomes a big challenge for parents and caregivers to be as loving, patient, persistent, and creative as possible. Many of these are normal behaviors and will resolve with simple strategies, but sometimes they become something more serious. Whether the child is in distress and communicating their stress and frustration the only way they know how, or whether the child’s personality requires a non-standard strategy to navigate around, experts from many backgrounds have suggestions.
If you or someone you know is in immediate need of support, please seek professional help. If you are in crisis, here are some immediate free resources.
Now that I’m an adult, I realize that kids know at a very young age when they’re being devalued, when adults aren’t invested enough to help them learn. Their anger over it can manifest itself as unruliness. It’s hardly their fault. They aren’t ‘bad kids.
