Dr. Mom on Taming Aggressive Behavior
-December 15, 2010-Comments (0)
In our December 2010 issue of ParentLife, Dr. Mom addressed dealing with aggressive behavior in children (p. 45, "Aggression"). Here are some extra tips from Dr. Mom, Marianne Neifert, M.D., on taming aggressive behavior you may perceive in your children.- Provide adequate supervision. Children require structure, supervision, and adult guidance as they learn to make good choices. Closely monitor your children’s behavior and intervene when aggression is being displayed.
- Limit media exposure to violence. Excessive viewing of television violence, including cartoon violence, and exposure to violent video games can increase childhood aggression. Limit television to 2 hours a day of educational programming and closely monitor your children’s media viewing habits. (Television is not recommended for children under 2 years.)
- Promote problem-solving. Children without effective problem-solving skills are less able to cope with everyday challenges and are more prone to frustration and aggression. Regular family meetings provide an ideal opportunity for children to hear differing viewpoints and gain practice brainstorming (with parental guidance) possible solutions to family dilemmas.
Have you dealt with aggressive behavior from your children? How do you respond?
