ChinAfrica

Correct Them With Love

- TAIWO BLESSING OGUNSEYI

Generally, a child is anyone between the ages of zero and 16 or up to 18, depending on the region. However, there are stages of childhood such as newborn, infant, toddler, pre-teen age, and lastly teenager. One thing that is common among children, particular­ly starting from being a toddler, is their natural curiosity through which they explore, learn, grow, control their emotions, and become better adults.

Indeed, some children may behave in an unruly manner in public places, and some parents may seem to ignore it. This could be because these parents feel overwhelme­d or helpless when their children act out. They may not know how to set clear boundaries or how to enforce consequenc­es. On the other hand, they may believe it is normal for children to act out as they are still learning to control their emotions and behave in a socially acceptable way. However, while children are still learning to behave appropriat­ely, it is important to note that children should be reprimande­d with love, and they should be made aware that they are expected to behave in a certain way.

Personally, I believe that children from pre-teenage years should have set boundaries and a clear understand­ing of what is expected of them, as unchecked unruly behaviour poses risk. However, as children, they sometimes do not live up to these expectatio­ns. Therefore, it is imperative to exercise patient while educating them. Moreover, in deciding how to respond to their acting out, the context should be taken into account.

As a way out, parents should introduce their children to methods that could help them to deal with their emotions in a healthy way, such as talking about their emotions, teaching them relaxation techniques, and helping them to develop coping mechanisms.

It is important that parents, guardians, and society at large know that children are not perfect, but they deserve our affection, respect, and tolerance. Toleration is not about approving of everything that children do. Rather, it is about accepting them for who they are and rebuking them when they make mistakes.

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