How to Deal With Insolent Child (9 Simple Tips)

Are you struggling to deal with an insolent child?

Insolent children can be difficult to deal with especially if the child is still very young.

I struggled with my son when he started behaving badly.

It was unbearable for me because I was very busy with work during those times.

But I later figured out what went wrong and I corrected it immediately.

In this article, I will share with you how to deal with an insolent child.

Let’s get started now!

1. Address this behavior immediately

You must address and respond to your child’s bad behavior immediately.

Ignoring disrespectful behavior will only encourage your child to continue acting that way until they get the attention they want.

2. Don’t get angry

The child’s insolent behavior often triggers the parents’ anger and annoyance.

However, yelling at the child in such a situation and treating them equally disrespectfully does not teach them respect.

When a child is angry, they are usually dealing with strong emotions.

If you become angry in this situation, you are ignoring your child’s feelings while asking them to respect yours.

Therefore, stay calm and breathe deeply when anger rises within you.

Try to clear your mind so you can focus on helping your child deal with their feelings properly.

3. Give your child a rationale

If you just tell your child to stop without giving them a reason, they may not understand why their behavior is bad.

Therefore, always explain to your child what was wrong or disrespectful.

This will help them understand what behavior is correct and why good behavior is important.

4. Acknowledge your child’s anger

When your child is angry, it’s important to let them know you understand their feelings.

You might say, “I see you’re mad right now. It might seem like I don’t care, but I do.”

Avoid adding a “but” afterward.

Remember, feelings aren’t right or wrong.

When you acknowledge your child’s emotions, you help them learn to handle those feelings better.

5. Apply appropriate discipline and explain possible consequences

If talking to your child doesn’t stop their disrespectful behavior, you should tell them what will happen if they keep misbehaving.

Discipline should be fair and not meant to hurt them, but to help them learn how to behave.

If you say there will be consequences, you must follow through with them.

If you don’t, your child won’t take you seriously and may keep misbehaving because they think you’re just making empty threats.

6. Offer to help

If your child’s disrespectful behavior is because one of their needs wasn’t met, show them other ways to behave.

For example, if the child is angry because they are not allowed to eat sweets before dinner even though they are hungry, offer to eat something else while they wait.

Let your child choose for themselves as often as possible.

Of course, as a parent, you need to make sure that you allow the choices you give them.

7. Show your child how to behave properly.

Once your child has calmed down, you can show them how to respond correctly.

Explain to your child different ways to behave next time and practice them with the child.

Breathing deeply to the count of ten is a good way to prevent tantrums.

Talking about your feelings can also help your child.

8. Stay patient and don’t take this behavior personally

If your child behaves insolently and disrespectfully towards you, be patient.

Recognizing your own emotions and managing them properly is a skill that children are not born with, but must learn.

Also, remember that children often act very rashly and behave disrespectfully to test the balance of power and their limits.

This is why it is important to never take such behavior personally.

9. Try a “cuddle corner.”

In the past, kids were put in a corner as a way to teach them, but this can be frustrating.

A better idea is to have a “cuddle corner” where they can sit and relax.

There are soft things like cushions, stuffed animals, and books to help them calm down.

This is especially useful when kids are having a hard time controlling their emotions.

Why Is My Son Insolent?

Your son is insolent because he thinks you’re boring and you don’t spend enough time with him.

Recently, my son told me I am boring.

I had no right to say that to my parents and it may shock some people that he said it to me.

But then I realized that I might have been annoying him by asking things he didn’t want to do.

So, I tried to understand his feelings.

I explained to him that “boring” is not a nice word, and he could say that I was annoying or that he was annoyed.

This way, we focus on our feelings instead of blaming each other, which is a good communication skill to have, even for kids.

If you ignore or have fun when your child talks disrespectfully, they might think it’s okay and do it again.

But if you calmly explain that this isn’t allowed and remain composed, your child will understand it’s not the right way to talk.

Also, if they realize this disrespectful talk upsets you, they might use it just to bother you.

So, don’t let disrespect slide, be firm but calm.

You can tell your child they’re allowed to feel certain emotions and express them, but there’s a better way to do it.

You can suggest using more polite words.

Other reasons why your child is insolent are:

• Your child is insolent because he imitates those around him

It is well known that children reproduce the words and moments experienced by those around them.

If you use blackmail, punishment, threats, or shouting with him, there is a good chance that he will mirror this behavior in turn.

• Your child is insolent because he feels attacked

It is possible that your child feels attacked when you give him an order.

This balance of power pushes him to retaliate, undoubtedly to preserve his dignity.

You should know that insolence is a means of expression among children who seek to show their emotions.

How to Respond to Insolent Child

Here’s how to respond to an insolent child:

1. Remain calm, but firm in the face of insolence

The first thing to do is to overcome your annoyance and not give in to the temptation to raise your voice or use vulgar words, so as not to lead to a verbal escalation.

When your child misbehaves, don’t ignore it.

Instead, talk to them. Let them know you understand their feelings, like saying, “I see that you are angry.”

Have a conversation with your child to sort things out, but be clear about your rules.

Whether your child is young or a teenager, they need to know they should respect you.

2. Establish a framework with defined limits

Even if the child doesn’t say it or their insolent behavior suggests otherwise, a child needs clear guidelines and rules.

Even if your child doesn’t always show it, they need clear rules.

When you say “stop”, it means “stop”.

Set clear boundaries, explain them to your child, and make sure you follow these rules yourself.

It helps correct insolent behavior.

3. Set an example for your child

The last point is to lead by example.

If you get frustrated or angry when your child doesn’t listen, they might copy that behavior.

Instead, show them every day how to ask for things and how to behave.

Your tone of voice, the words you use, and how you act can influence your child’s behavior.

Being calm and polite can encourage cooperation rather than disrespect.

Conclusion

If your child is insolent, try to put yourself in their place and think about the reasons for their behavior.

Take the time to talk to your child, get to the root of the problem, and try to resolve it.

Explain to your child how their behavior is harming other children or you.

Compassion is one of the most important qualities you can teach your child.

However, the best way to teach your child correct behavior is still to model it.

Be kind to others, stay calm even when things get stressful, and show your child how to properly handle feelings like anger and sadness.