Handling challenging behavior in kids during Covid times

Source: Times of India

Coronavirus has been unrelenting and uncertainty is growing day by day for all of us. But this time is even harder for people with young children. In these tough times, managing children’s challenging behaviors along with the increase in work from home hours and added care responsibilities have been very hard and exhausting. 

When children are exhibiting challenging behavior, most often they are not trying to give parents a hard time. Instead, they are going through a hard time themselves but don’t have the right vocabulary to express or have regulation skills. Children are looking for a safe place in parents, where parents have a responsibility to decode what need, hurt or anxiety is behind the challenging behaviors of children and give them support accordingly. 

Children may be having a hard time but they don’t have a personal vendetta against their parents to trouble or make their lives difficult but are just not in the best place in their heads maybe. Children are depending on their parents, so don’t punish them, instead, parents should shift their perspective and work on building a calm home.

Also read: Coronavirus in kids: Children at risk of long Covid