Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To want respectful children

23 replies

hadtoomanymincepies · 01/01/2022 17:08

Genuine tips on how to stop answering back please. 6 nearly 7 year old has always been golden. More recently shouting and answering back, tantrums and stomping off are common.
How best to deal with these to raise a respectful child? Please help!

OP posts:
mbosnz · 01/01/2022 17:13

Mine were sent to their room and told not to come back out until they were prepared to be polite. I would also ask them how they would feel if I were to treat them the way they were treating me.

It's okay to have bad moods, it is not okay to take them out on those around you.

Sertadopt · 01/01/2022 17:24

Watching! I have 5 and 6 year olds whose default seems to be to say “no” to whatever they’re asked to do and to argue back with anything I say. I’ve tried ignoring it, getting cross, sending them to their room (they won’t stay and I end up holding the handle while they scream from the other side making the neighbours think I’m murdering them), pretending to be upset, reasoning with them and giving consequences (taking a toy away etc).

People are so shocked when they hear the way they speak to me and my partner and I just worry that perhaps they aren’t normal. Sounds kind of silly now I’ve typed that out. I know we all like to think we were brilliant children ourselves but I just know I wouldn’t have dreamt of speaking to my parents like that. I’d have been in “big trouble” but I’m not sure what “big trouble” would really have been!

Hellocatshome · 01/01/2022 17:25

What do you do when they answer back etc?

rrhuth · 01/01/2022 17:29

I ignored any requests that were rudely delivered, and also would send away for rudeness. I think it is about saying 'I will not give in to it' rather than being able to stop them trying it on.

BluebellsGreenbells · 01/01/2022 17:32

I have wed to say ‘do you mean ‘May I have a drink please?’
‘Did you mean I’d like to watch a movie please?’

And wait for them to ask properly

They soon learn that asking in X manner means they have to ask nicely anyway.

hadtoomanymincepies · 01/01/2022 17:38

@Sertadopt

Watching! I have 5 and 6 year olds whose default seems to be to say “no” to whatever they’re asked to do and to argue back with anything I say. I’ve tried ignoring it, getting cross, sending them to their room (they won’t stay and I end up holding the handle while they scream from the other side making the neighbours think I’m murdering them), pretending to be upset, reasoning with them and giving consequences (taking a toy away etc).

People are so shocked when they hear the way they speak to me and my partner and I just worry that perhaps they aren’t normal. Sounds kind of silly now I’ve typed that out. I know we all like to think we were brilliant children ourselves but I just know I wouldn’t have dreamt of speaking to my parents like that. I’d have been in “big trouble” but I’m not sure what “big trouble” would really have been!

This sounds SO familiar, there has to be another way surely.
OP posts:
GiraffeDancer · 01/01/2022 17:40

My middle child (same age as yours), I would state very clearly that the way he is speaking is not acceptable and that it’s rude, and I will not allow it. I will tell him that there will be a consequence if he continues (eg loss of screen time), and follow through if he does it again. This approach generally works with him.
My eldest (9) has ADHD and ODD (oppositional defiance disorder), and possible ASD - he is very disrespectful because he has very low impulse control, and cannot handle being told no to something without a big meltdown. Obviously we still have to say no, but we fully expect a bad reaction so we definitely have to pick our battles and phrase things carefully - when he’s in a good headspace he absolutely understands how to be respectful (though will still push it with attitude, but a quick reminder and he’ll say “ok I know, sorry”). When he’s in a bad headspace he has no respect at all and shouts the most awful things at us. We do the best we can!

Xmasiscancelledagain · 01/01/2022 17:42

How polite are you to them? I never actually realised this until my 6YO said one day that I always ask them to say please, but I never say it to them. And he was right. Blush. So make sure you are leading by example to everyone in your life.

RaoulDufysCat · 01/01/2022 18:24

I used to say 'I can't understand you when you are crying/screaming/complaining/shouting/wailing/yelling/moaning. Come back when you can talk like a normal human being and we'll discuss it sensibly'. I never used to shout or scold that much unless I got really annoyed, just refuse to engage until they were talking and behaving like a rational person.

Also, specifically spell out consequences. Ask them if they want to do whatever they are saying no to the nice way or the nasty way. Go through in tiny detail all the bad parts of the nasty way and the fact that it takes three times as long etc (and then I'll tell you off and you will feel sad, and then you will shout at me and I'll have to send you to your room etc etc - OR, you can just go and pick up your clothes, put them in the washing basket, and come down and sit with me in the kitchen and have a glass of orange juice/watch TV, or something else not insanely good but still nice that the child will like - not chocolate, though I guess you could try it if orange juice or whatever didn't work). It is, after all, their choice.

Re answering back I would probably have said quite menacingly 'WHAT did you say?' or 'How dare you?' or something and sent to bedroom plus there would have been an expectation that they would need to come back and apologise before normal service was resumed. I would also always apologise if I realised I was being unfair or had lost my temper or whatever too, so hopefully modelling reasonable (if not perfect) behaviour.

However, you also have to have an iron will and don't give in for an easy life. The first time you will probably have to send the child away multiple times until a sensible discussion can be achieved. I spent hours once in a department store teaching a crying three year old that if I said 'we are not buying anything other than the thing we have specifically come for' I really really meant it and did not want to be asked for anything else (it was something nice for the child, so wasn't being mean!!). More than a decade down the line, this has paid off. If I occasionally spring for something unexpected I am treated like the messiah.

RaoulDufysCat · 01/01/2022 18:25

Also, completely agree that respect works both ways. You need to be prepared to listen to their side of the story, as long as it's expressed politely and without shouting/wailing.

sst1234 · 01/01/2022 18:40

@RaoulDufysCat

Also, completely agree that respect works both ways. You need to be prepared to listen to their side of the story, as long as it's expressed politely and without shouting/wailing.
Do you have some special powers to know information the rest of us missed on this thread. How do you know OP is shouting/wailing.

OP, consequences for bad behaviour are important. It teaches children that the big bad world works this way too. Taking away privileges, not caving in to requests. If they shout and refuse to eat what you cooked, then go without dinner until they are ready to eat what you cooked. If they don’t do as they’re told, they can sit and think about that request in their room without an gadgets, toys etc. Amazing how boredom brings children into line very quickly.

DysmalRadius · 01/01/2022 19:01

I have got a lot of mileage out of occasionally threatening to have a day when I talk to mine the way they talk to me when they begin to get complacent with their attitudes or manners. It focuses their minds and makes them think about what it must be like to be spoken to rudely which usually does the trick!

hadtoomanymincepies · 01/01/2022 19:37

@DysmalRadius

I have got a lot of mileage out of occasionally threatening to have a day when I talk to mine the way they talk to me when they begin to get complacent with their attitudes or manners. It focuses their minds and makes them think about what it must be like to be spoken to rudely which usually does the trick!
I'd never thought of that. I can imagine it would work
OP posts:
hadtoomanymincepies · 01/01/2022 19:43

So I'm good at modelling good behaviour, I treat them politely and with respect, and if I have ever been unfair I've always made a point of apologising.

But I do think I'm bad when it comes to the parenting actually working.

I am calm when dealing with her, I think that's really important. I send her to her room (it used to be the hall but don't want younger dd hearing her moods). I tell her repeatedly not to answer me back or talk to me like that/be so rude/disrespectful. It's really hard to actually get her to her room. She just seems to argue/tantrum/fake baby cry/shout back at anything at the moment.

The thing that is making me feel so desperate for this advice (and please don't flame me, I know it's bad) is that I'm finding myself quite often when she's point blank refusing to go to her room, and I'm not wanting younger dd to copy behaviour, saying to her "right well you either go to your room or I'll take you to the police station". I am fully aware that I shouldn't. It was something my mum often said to me when I was little and I need other strategies so I don't feel as though this is all I have to resort to.

Thanks to everybody genuinely trying to help!

I think there may be some Adhd there, she has all traits except for bad behaviour, this is a marked change that has only happened in the last few months.

OP posts:
hadtoomanymincepies · 01/01/2022 19:44

I'm also quite consistent, but obviously that doesn't help if all I have left is the police thing

OP posts:
Onionbhajisandwich · 01/01/2022 20:04

Same here. I’ve had a terrible day with DD5. She screams in my face and tells me she hates me if I dare ask her to tidy up. I had to carry her up to her room today as she she was screaming and stamping her feet and I warned her if she continued that she was going to have to go to her room to calm down. DS is completely the opposite. Respectful, laid back, calm, loving. It’s a hard situation. What works for DS doesn’t have any impact on DD.

AltheaVesr1t · 01/01/2022 20:09

I have a very pleasant and respectful teenager, but DD10 is a horror. She's also delightfully witty in a painfully incisive way, so I am loath to curb her. But, bloody hell, I probably would have been beaten to death if I had talked to my parents the way she speaks to me.

purpleme12 · 01/01/2022 20:12

My child is 8
I am so glad to see other comments saying their child just refuses to go to their room if you tell them to or if they do manage to go there you have to hold the handle for them to stay
All you hear on threads is send them to their room

I have a very stubborn child
How I deal with it so far is staying calm. Not reacting.
She does tend to stop when she gets the message. If it is really bad or she keeps doing it I'll have to give consequence eg no treats or no switch etc
Because sending to room doesn't work with mine I wish it did!
Btw this doesn't really stop the behaviour (well put it this way I hope it will stop one day, although it's not like she's like this all the time or anything!) But this is the best way to deal with it when it happens
Not a magic wand lol

RaoulDufysCat · 01/01/2022 21:02

How do you know OP is shouting/wailing.

I didn't mean OP obviously. I meant the kids.

I think the police thing is a mistake, because you can't carry it out really. No police are going to be interested in annoying children. Any punishment or consequence does have to be something the children won't like that you can carry out without their cooperation if necessary. If consequences don't work, you'll have to do it the other way round and set out what they need to get a reward maybe. Start from zero though. If that's the way round you need to do it then maybe you need all privileges to be earned.

Also, while losing it is obviously not helpful if you are really seeing red etc, being completely calm might not be that great either. Sometimes children need to see that they have gone too far.

DysmalRadius · 01/01/2022 21:26

I've been surprised at how effective it is, to be honest - I think because we are normally pretty calm and non shouty and talk through problems etc, the idea that we might be 'mean' to them really gives them pause for thought.

I do also talk to them about how it feels to be ignored or to have someone argue with EVERYTHING you say to let them know that we are parents, but also people with feelings that can be hurt. Once they have acknowledged that they wouldn't want to be spoken to like that, it makes it very hard for them to maintain it!!

Fightingtalk · 01/01/2022 21:28

You don’t say how recent a development this behaviour is-could it be connected to the excitement of Christmas? And maybe you’re busy rushing about so less able to give your time and attention? Plus probably later bedtimes, no school routine, less outdoor play and more screen time. It sounds like you’re doing everything right (except maybe the ultimatums) but can you slow down a bit and try to find out what’s causing the behaviour rather than how to deal with it?

SeasonFinale · 01/01/2022 21:32

Sanctions. If she refuses to go to her room she misses out on things or has toys (assume too young for tech) removed.

BluebellsGreenbells · 01/01/2022 21:54

I tell her repeatedly not to answer me back or talk to me like that/be so rude/disrespectful

This is the problem. She’s not fully understanding (yet) wait you mean.

You need to model it, repeat it back - in the same tone - and then ask if that’s what she meant? Break it down a bit more

New posts on this thread. Refresh page