This article aims to cover how you can deal with a child who won’t listen, with tips on how to figure out what they need when they won’t cooperate.
First, kids will listen to you if they respect you. To gain their respect, you’ll need to show them that you’re capable of handling things without their help so they can see that you know what you’re doing.
If they see that you know more than them, they’ll be more inclined to listen to what your ideas are. Second, kids will listen to you if you’re honest with them.
If they think that your idea is ridiculous, they’ll be less inclined to listen to what you have to say. With kids, honesty is always better than deceit so try to be honest with them so they’ll respect you.
Here are some tips to help you know what to do when the kid you’re babysitting kids won’t listen.
They will help you deal with such kids and hopefully change their behavior. With any luck, they’ll listen to your ideas and be a little more pleasant.
This is How you can get a Kid to Listen when Babysitting
First, try letting the child know that you care about them and you want to help. Offer some activities that the child might like such as playing a game or drawing pictures. Be honest and apologize if they were told to do something they didn’t like.
Secondly, choose a non-confrontational way of getting them to listen to you such as distracting them with something else or giving the child something they enjoy doing.
Examples of how this can be done are one’s favorite food and having fun playing a game together.
Also, check to see if the child needs a rest as sometimes this will make them be more cooperative.
If you are not getting anywhere with this, try some threats such as taking away a favorite toy or picking up some other chore you know they don’t like doing.
Other Useful Tips for Babysitting a Rude Child?
- Do your best to be patient with the child. Keep things fun and relaxed.
- Find activities that match your child’s energy level and age group.
- Find activities that the child wants to do.
- Have a backup plan for things that may not go as planned.
- Try to maintain a sense of humor, even when things get hectic.
- Don’t take any bad treatment personally, or let it bother you. Children can be very trying at times. Just try your best to relax and have fun with the child.
- Ask the parents for suggestions on ways to handle specific kid behaviors.
- Be positive, even when things get tough. Remember that kids often act up to get attention, so let them know you are in charge, but that you love them and want what’s best for them.
What is the Hardest Age to Babysit?
The hardest age to babysit is 6 years old. Most 6-year-olds are very active and do things that you may not anticipate. They can’t be watched for too long without getting into some kind of trouble.
A 6 year old can do anything, but they are also most likely to do something they shouldn’t.
It is hard to babysit a 6 year old because they are active all day long and think they know how adults work. They think they know what is right and wrong and will do anything to get what they want.
A 6 year old can be very naughty, so you might need to threaten them with the loss of something important such as their video game or favorite toy.
Babysitting a 6 year old can be hard work because of all the moving around they do that can tire out even the most active adult.
How not to Be Nervous when Babysitting?
Now let’s see how you can avoid being so nervous when babysitting a difficult child, so you can have a relaxing time. Even when they won’t listen, or when they are misbehaving, you will be able to keep your cool and not let the situation ruin your day.
Don’t forget you are there to take care of a child, not the other way around. So the answer is, make sure you feel relaxed and comfortable in your own skin.
If you can do that, doesn’t matter what the child does or how he responds to you – you will always remain calm and keep your cool.
By keeping calm, you will be able to do the following:
Give them your undivided attention. Even when they are bad-mouthing you, or whatever is bothering them, you can still take it all in and sit down with them.
The more patient you are (not too much patience but enough to catch their attention), the easier it will be for them to listen to your suggestions and solutions.
Other Techniques to Help you Deal with a Kid who won’t Listen
- Consider the child’s perspective. He or she may be feeling overwhelmed, scared, or even guilty about not following instructions.
- Be consistent in your discipline technique, keeping in mind that the technique should be age-appropriate to promote cooperation and compliance with your directions.
- Use a combination of positive reinforcement and negative consequences to get the desired behavior from the child.
- Reward the child in some way when he or she does what you expect and less when he or she doesn’t.
- When the child is cooperative, be sure to show him immediate appreciation and rewards for good behavior for this will bring life back into his eyes and strengthen his desire to cooperate with you again in the future.
- Never yell or punish a child in bad language or “scream” at him.
Final word
Babysitting is a valuable job, but not every child is the easiest to watch. Some kids are more difficult than others, with some simply being more in need of parental care that they’re in desperate need of the opposite type of care.
When kids won’t listen when you’re babysitting them, it can be a very frustrating experience. there are ways to get around it though, and you don’t have to give up on the job as a babysitter if you’re looking for a way to make some money.
Kids will listen when they want to listen! this means that their behavior is being controlled by something else in the moment, but if we can find out what they want and try to appease them with it, we will find success eventually.
One way to get around the problem of kids not listening is to distract them with something else. kids are great at changing their minds if their attention is drawn away.
Another thing is to give them what they want in order to get them interested in what you are doing.
References:
A Harvard psychologist gives 5 ways to raise kids to be kind.