😊 RMN Kids Parenting Guide: 7 Smart Ways to Handle Naughty Kids
Children enjoy positive attention. When parents notice and appreciate good behavior, children are encouraged to repeat it.
RMN Kids Parenting Desk
New Delhi | May 11, 2026
Children are naturally active, curious, emotional, and energetic. Sometimes they become noisy, stubborn, impatient, or difficult to manage, especially during the growing years between childhood and early pre-teen life. Many parents describe this behavior as being “naughty,” but in most cases, children are not trying to be bad. They are still learning how to express emotions, follow rules, and understand the world around them.
Handling such behavior calmly and wisely can make a big difference in a child’s emotional development. Here are seven smart parenting approaches that can help.
1. Stay Calm Before Reacting
One of the biggest mistakes adults make is reacting immediately with anger. When parents shout constantly, children often become more upset, fearful, or stubborn. A calm response usually works better than harsh punishment.
Children often look to adults to understand how to react during stressful situations. When parents remain patient, children slowly learn to control their own emotions too.
2. Set Clear and Consistent Rules
Children feel safer when they understand boundaries clearly. Simple household rules about homework, screen time, sleep, and behavior should be explained calmly and followed consistently.
If rules change every day depending on mood, children become confused and may test limits more often. Consistency helps children understand expectations and consequences.
3. Try to Understand the Real Reason Behind the Behavior
Sometimes children misbehave because they are tired, hungry, bored, stressed, or seeking attention. A child who refuses to listen may not always be trying to create trouble intentionally.
Instead of reacting only to the behavior, parents can pause and ask what might be causing it. Understanding the reason behind the behavior often helps solve the problem more effectively.
4. Praise Good Behavior More Often
Children enjoy positive attention. When parents notice and appreciate good behavior, children are encouraged to repeat it.
Even simple praise such as “You cleaned your toys nicely today” or “I’m proud of how politely you spoke” can build confidence and improve behavior over time. Constant criticism, on the other hand, may make children feel discouraged.
5. Listen to Children Carefully
Young children often experience strong emotions but may not know how to express them properly. Sometimes they simply want someone to listen.
Asking calm questions like “Why are you upset?” or “What happened?” teaches children to communicate their feelings instead of expressing them through anger or stubbornness.
6. Reduce Excessive Screen Time
Too much screen exposure can sometimes increase irritability, impatience, and emotional outbursts in children. Games, videos, and social media can overstimulate young minds if not balanced properly.
Outdoor activities, creative play, reading, drawing, storytelling, and family conversations help children release energy in healthier ways and improve emotional balance.
7. Lead by Example
Children learn more from what adults do than from what adults say. If parents frequently react with shouting, impatience, or anger, children may copy the same behavior.
On the other hand, when adults show kindness, patience, honesty, and self-control, children gradually learn those habits naturally through observation.
Final Thoughts
No child behaves perfectly all the time, and no parent handles every situation perfectly either. Parenting is a continuous learning process filled with challenges, patience, and growth.
The goal is not to control children through fear, but to guide them with understanding, consistency, and love. When children feel emotionally secure and respected, they are more likely to grow into confident, responsible, and caring individuals.
