Teaching Kids: How to Handle Grumpy Adults

Winter and holidays are especially full of grumpy adults, but no matter what time of year, it is important to teach your kids how to behave around cranky people. Why teach the kids? Adults are less likely to change the way they behave. Kids, however, can still be taught how to handle rude people and less than desirable situations. Here are three places to teach your kids how to handle grumpy adults.

Scenario #1: Grumpy adults in a store
Stores, especially during the holidays, are always full of cranky adults who do not really want to be there. Instead of not shopping during peak times, these grumpy adults take it out on kids or expect parents to shop without their kids.

How should children behave in these situations? It is really hard on small children to understand that it is not their fault. If the kids are acting more rambunctious that usual, try a game to hold their attention until you are able to leave the store. As a parent, do not go out of your way to avoid grumpy adults. It will only make your time in the store longer and decrease the amount of tolerance these adults have.

Use these adults as a way to teach your kids that good behavior in the store helps you get through the store easier, as well as help other shoppers. If an adult says something to your kid, let your child know that their behavior is not always the problem and that you cannot control the way other people behave, only the way you (the kids) behave.

Scenario #2: Grumpy adults in the family
Every family has an adult or two that admits to not being able to handle kids. Just because they openly admit to no patience does not give them a free pass to be grumpy and rude to your kids. Kids do not get a free pass for being cranky just because they are not use to the surroundings and that the holidays or family events are full of time-consuming activities that do not always correlate with your child's schedule.

Again, this is a good chance to teach you kids' tolerance. Teach your kids that it is not always easy for adults to remember what it was like to be a kid, or what they were like when they were kids. Many times, grumpy adults were grumpy kids too. While kids should not be expected to compensate for the way an adult behaves in the family, they can learn to separate themselves from people who do not appreciate their ability to have fun.

Scenario #3: Grumpy adults at kid venues
It never fails. When you show up to the circus, the park, or even a soccer game, there are grumpy adults. There are even a few grumpy kids too. Many times these grown-ups are there by force and they will let everyone know about it. Often, grumpy adults get loud and rude. It is best to avoid these adults, if possible. However, as the role model for your children, you may have to speak with Mr. or Mrs. Grumpy to either leave or control their behavior.

The best way to teach kids to handle grumpy adults is to lead by example. You can let your kids lead by example as well. Let them be the bigger, better behaved person. Although the truly grumpy adults may not notice, other people will and it could change the perspective of potentially "grumpy" adults.