Tips for Better Days with a Spirited/Strong Willed Child

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If you are the parent of a spirited child you know the meaning of "difficult" and "Strong-willed." You also know that not all parts of having a spirited child are so bad. They love as hard as they fight and they always stand their ground for what they believe in. Sometimes it is tough and you find yourself wondering how you will make it to the end of the day, counting down the hours until bedtime. You may be looking for tips for better days with your spirited child. Often as parents of a spirited child, you may be told often that you just need to discipline them more. In truth, discipline can not solve all of your problems as the parent of a spirited child. Parenting your child takes a bit more creativity but, the reward is great. Your child will one day put that spirit to use. Consistently using these strategies will help you have better days with your spirited child.

You can enjoy better days with your spirited child

The first place to start is to try and turn the day around by meeting basic needs. Sometimes crazy behavior has a trigger and if you can find that trigger you and your child can make your day take a 180. Each child will be triggered by different things. Did they get enough sleep? Could your child be hungry? Meeting basic needs is one of the fastest ways to turn your day around. Distract and redirect. While discipline in the way so many families choose is unlikely to do any good for your spirited child you will find the old distract and redirect still works great on your child. Redirect unwanted behaviors into something fun and safe for your child. I keep plenty of sensory based projects and activities on hand for this. I even pack things like silly putty in my bag for a quick distraction and redirect in public. While it looks like you are rewarding your child for bad behavior you are effectively stopping it. Your spirited child is more sensitive than other kids so you need to be your child's advocate. Stop other adults that choose to chastise your child and let them see you protect them. When leaving the house, come prepared for sensory overload issues, headphones for soft music and a pair of sunglasses are handy to keep in your bag. Take time to spend one on one with your child. Often spirited kids will act out when they feel they are not getting enough attention. Take a bit of extra time with your child one on one to help prevent those strong outbursts that can make days with your spirited child so hard. Build a strong routine to help your spirited child cope with daily life. Many spirited children hate change. Honestly, who likes it? By helping your child create a routine that allows them to know what will happen when and stick to it you give your child power over their day. Taking away the stress of the unknown.