What To Do When Your Kid Mimics Inappropriate Behavior

by Catherine Ipcizade | More from this Blogger

Ah, the joys of school. Each day you drop your little one off. You know they'll get a good education. You hope they'll have fun. What you might not anticipate is the influx of new behavior you'll be seeing when your child begins school.

The other day, my kindergartener came home from school and without warning broke out in a dance. As a mother, I love it when my children dance, but this dance had a suggestive ending that was inappropriate for his age. "Where did you learn that?" I asked. Predictably, he saw another kid at school perform the same dance.

As a parent, it's often difficult to know what to do in situations such as these. If you ignore them, who knows what your child might do next. Ignoring the situation is also a poor decision because your child may be repeating the learned behavior at school as well.

So what's a parent to do? First, relax. This is only the first of many behaviors your child will likely mimic throughout his years in school. Sit him or her down and let them know the behavior is unacceptable. Explain why, in simple terms that are age-appropriate, the behavior is inappropriate and why they need to stop. Then leave it alone. A long, drawn-out conversation will not work with a child who still has a short attention span. Say your peace, make your intentions clear so that the child knows what is expected, then let them play or get back to their routine.

If your child comes home mimicking inappropriate behavior, it may be necessary to schedule a conference with his or her teacher. However, if the situation is isolated, and if you do not notice or hear about the behavior after dealing with it, it's not often necessary to do this.

Children will be children, and with all of the other things they have to learn, appropriate and inappropriate boundaries and behavior are included. Be consistent. Be firm. But also be understanding. You were a kid once-try to remember that and don't overreact.

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Learn more about Catherine Ipcizade

Cathy Ipcizade is 30 years old and currently resides in Southern California. Prior to coming to California she grew up in Arizona.

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