Montessori Mom

Sometimes parents ask, "Why does my child hit and push other children?" In fact often, my child won't share or even take turns. They wonder if their child might even be a bully.

Children, who exhibit this behavior. often times are leaders who like to push  limits. You can't do much to change your child's personality, but you can do a few things to help them live and thrive within the norms of society.

Any activity that gives your child constructive freedom and movement is the best environment for his or her personality. Making an active, outgoing child sit still and keep quiet is futile.

One suggestion is to find a group sports activity where good sportsmanship and cooperative team work is emphasized. Avoid overly competitive programs, since they often times make the behavior worse.

Also, look for a coach who teaches the team to accept winning humbly and loosing graciously. The greatest leadership skill is to treat people with kindness and respect.

Secondly, when choosing a full time preschool or daycare carefully consider the outdoor equipment and activities. Lots of running, climbing, and sports activities at least 2 or 3 times a day is necessary to prevent aggressive behavior for many active children. Also, there needs to be a great amount of freedom and space for polite movement. With this freedom classroom rules need to be clear and impartially enforced in a non-judgmental manner.

Avoid too much group learning and activities . Even sitting still for long periods of time will often cause aggressive behavior. Try to put your child in the best environment for his or her personality. Helping your child succeed at times is difficult, but the rewards are well worth it.