What Is Your Child Trying To Tell You?

As parents, it is our duty to keep our children safe, feel loved, accepted, and worthy. Raising them with these core goals will potentially make them good adults and most importantly good parents in the future. 

 But what if they’re behaving badly? How can you practice conscious parenting when they’re being aggressive or screaming at you?

For the longest time, parents have practiced traditional parenting. A parenting style that is mostly influenced by what the society dictates. It’s all about  strict rules, punishment, and authority.

However, if we want to have a meaningful life and a healthy relationship with our kids, we need to shift to a different parenting style. A parenting style that is focused on building and maintaining a good relationship with our kids, that is conscious parenting.

In this episode, we will look into how we can practice conscious parenting through dealing with our children’s behaviors. And to identify why they are showing these behaviors and what they’re trying to communicate with us.

Children’s Behavior And What They Mean

Physical Aggression 

Kids manifest aggression through screaming, stomping, spitting, biting, scratching, hitting, and kicking. A form of anger that translates to action. And an angry child is actually a scared child. They feel helpless and powerless, the exact opposite of what they’re showing. Oftentimes, all they really need is attention. Attention, from their siblings, caretakers, and especially their parents. It's attention seeking behavior, that’s really seeking love.

Screaming

Screaming is another behavior that kids manifest when they’re upset. But what they’re really trying to say is they need help. And so when they scream, what we need to do is just be present. Keep them safe, be calm, and give them the space to process what they feel. Be kind and gentle, but also set a firm boundary. How? If they’re screaming in a public place, you can move them to a quieter area. You can also give them tools like a pillow or soft toy for them to release their frustrations. This way, they are able to release their big feelings.

Bottomline

No matter how our kids show their frustration, it's our role as parents to keep them safe. The aggression and shouting may look rebellious, but it’s actually their way of asking for help, because they’re scared. 

We are the only people they really trust. They know that we can keep them safe, accept them, love them no matter how aggressive they are. However, it is also important to set boundaries.

And when you feel triggered by their behaviour, always go back to your inner self, self regulate, and find that child in you. Self-awareness is the key, be aware of your own fears and limitations. This is what conscious parenting is all about. 

Be intentional, be understanding, be aware. That’s all they need.