Child Behavior When Friends Are Over

Parents know how important it is to enforce house hold rules. Children love to test parents, and rules alike. Kids will always be kids. They will look for ways around the rules, and they will sometimes break them. Keeping our own kids in check regarding their behavior isn't always easy. Most parents have kids that listen pretty well, and no parent has perfect children. All children have a certain way of living, and certain rules they follow at home. When other children come to your home the differences in the rules that are followed between homes can cause behavioral issues to arise.

Do your children go haywire when their friends come over? What about when one child in your house hold has a friend come over...does it affect how the others are behaving? Some times children will act up, or become quite hyper when friends come to visit. Here's how to enforce household rules while friends are over to avoid behavioral problems not only in your children, but also in the visitor.

It is natural and normal for kids to get excited when a friend arrives. Children will get a bit hyper. Nothing you can do will prevent it. However, if the children are getting too excited and overly hyper there is a problem. Accidents can happen when children get too hyper. There is a reason for the rules that state no running in the house, and no roughhousing. The reason is that children tend to get hurt when they run in the house, and when the get playing too rough. If the children in your home are being too overly hyper you have both the right and the responsibility to ask them to calm down. Children need to follow the rules that are set, especially when those rules are in place to keep them safe. Your child's friend needs to understand that when they play at your home they will have to follow the rules.

Other household rules need to be enforced too. No hitting is one, taking turns another. Household rules vary but generally remain the same. However, some children are allowed to use the telephone or internet at free will. They may think that they will be able to at your home as well. All things need to be considered. When a friend is over that friend needs to follow the rules in your home. Maybe they are allowed to use the phone or internet when ever they choose at their own home. Your home is not their home. A visiting friend should be expected to follow the rules of your home.

When the rules get broken discipline should be used. The first time a rule is broken a warning is generally the discipline. Most kids take the warning and get the point. They choose to do as asked. Some kids don't. Some kids will still choose to break the rules. When this happens it's jour job as the parent and adult to enforce the rules.

The best way to approach it is to talk to the child. If it is your child you'd of course do as you normally would and place them in time out or what have you. When it's not your child that's breaking the rules what do you do? Do you discipline them as you do your own? Do you give them extra chances and warnings? It all depends on how often the child visits. For a child that is not familiar with how things are done in your home extra chances should be given, as should extra warnings. For a child who knows the rules of your home well and still chooses to misbehave a time out is an acceptable form of discipline.

It is a good idea to create a list of rules. Use a white or colored piece of paper and list each rule that you feel is important and should be followed. Hang it on the refrigerator or the wall. Make sure you hang it in a place that it can be seen by all. When a child breaks a rule after a warning walk them to the list of rules. Ask the child to tell you which of the rules they have just broken. Once they have ask them why they think that that specific rule is a rule. Explain why the rule exists and then let them know that a time out will be given if they are to break the rule again. This is a gentle and positive way to enforce the rules in your home. Thanks for reading and take care!