Family

Hey Parents! Here's How To Stop Your Kid's Back-Talking FOR GOOD

We've all seen this happen at least once before: An unsuspecting parent will start reprimanding their child at the supermarket for throwing a tantrum or misbehaving, only for their kid to start talking back to them. Even worse, the kid often gets away with speaking that way to their parent, feeding into a vicious cycle of bad behavior with no discipline.

These days, it seems as if most kids feel like they can say whatever they want to their parents and other adults, no matter how disrespectful it is, with no regard to the consequences. It goes without saying that this lack of respect is not only rude and inappropriate, but it is also completely unacceptable.

You might think this disrespect is only hurting you, but what happens when your child grows up? Will he or she think it's okay to talk back to their boss when they're given an assignment they don't like? Or constantly be disrespectful to their friends and partners? Take a moment to consider how that will work out because that is the kind of behavior you're allowing them to practice, and it will only get worse with time.

This is not meant to shame you or scare you. It's simply meant to show you why this behavior MUST change. The bottom line here is that by not teaching your kids how to show respect to others — including to you and your partner — you're not only making your current family dynamic more difficult, but you're also setting them up for a less successful adulthood as well.

While you want your kids to speak their minds, they also need to learn that there is a proper time and place for everything. (Not to mention the fact that your kids should be showing you and other adults respect!) That's what makes it super important for you to draw the line early on when back-talking and other disrespectful actions first arise. Waiting to address this problem will only makes things worse for you and your kids!

According to respected YourTango Parenting Expert Tara Kennedy-Kline, the key to doing that is making it very clear to kids that there are boundaries they need to follow and respect. Then it's up to you to follow through on those rules. Yes, changing this bad behavior really is that simple, but you have to be consistent!

Her advice on how to stop this inappropriate behavior right in its tracks is so sound and totally foolproof that you'll wish you heard it years ago. At the end of the day, the only way you will get your kids to respect as a parent is if you are firm and demand it, and that is exactly what she can show you how to do. 

Parenting is hard enough without these extra challenges thrown in. Make it a little bit easier on yourself and watch the video above to find out how you can implement Tara's effective parenting strategies in your family. You can thank us later!