From talking in class when they should be working, to name-calling and fist-fighting, children act out for various reasons.
Most children don’t want to misbehave in school. They do it because they have big emotions and they don’t know how to manage them or who to turn to when they need help.
I am writing this from experience because I’ve had some amazing children act out but with the help of their parents, we were able to get them back on track.
If I’m being honest, when I was pregnant with my second child, my son also acted out. When I was told about it, I did my best to work with his teachers as well. It made a huge difference at home and in school.
The following steps will help you support your child with their feelings and navigate through situations which are difficult for them. It will help you with techniques to discipline your child who keeps getting in trouble at school.
Actionable Steps:
#1. Evaluate the Situation.
Evaluate the reason for your child’s misbehavior by talking to your child and their teacher. Ask them what they need from you to support them.
Don’t jump to conclusions and reprimand your child or blame the teacher as it won’t help the situation. In fact, it will make the situation worse as both of them will be on the defensive.
#2. Show Them Love
Remind your child that although you are disappointed in the situation, you love them very much and that you’re there to support them no matter what happens. This will help your child feel more at ease in time so that they can eventually open up to you.
#3. Consequences Matter
Talk to your children about the natural consequences of their behavior in the classroom. Also, agree upon a consequence if the unexpected behavior in school warrants it. Brainstorm this together and then follow through if necessary. Run this by the teacher so that you’re on all the same page. This can help a teacher know how to address the situation in school as well.
#4. Calming Exercises
Teach your child how to self-regulate. Remind them that they have control of their mind. If they’re angry with someone, they can walk away and calm down their mind and body before using their fists or words.
To teach your children different ways to self-regulate on minimalist budget, check out the following resources. Choose the ones that best meet your child’s needs.
Recap:
Let’s recap really quickly. Today, we looked at the following:
- The importance of caring for your child when they get in trouble at school.
- How to discipline a child who keeps getting in trouble at school: evaluate the situation, give them love, consequences matter, and calming exercises.
Free Resources:
The following is FREE. It will show you how to create the space. These resources can be found in my FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY.
Disclaimer: I’m a teacher and a parent. I’m not a medical professional, so please don’t take this as medical advice. The advice that I provide in my videos and online are strategies that I have used in my own class or at home that have worked beautifully.
