#child-behavior

#child-behavior

When parents catch behavioral issues in their younger children such as aggression, defiance, rule-breaking, or difficulty controlling impulses, the first instinct may be to adjust their parenting styles or to seek professional guidance. These approaches do have merit, but many families overlook a powerful influence on younger children's behaviours: their older siblings. The relationship between siblings is one of the most important bonds in the family system, with potential for positive or negative influence.

I think the first thing you both need to do, though, is to adjust your attitudes in the situation. I know this sounds a bit accusatory, but hear me out. You describe Emma, who is a child, as a "spoiled brat." You don't just see her behavior as bratty, but her personality as bratty and somewhat irredeemable. Children can pick up on when they aren't liked, and-like it or not-when you married Diana, you also made a commitment to Emma that includes being there.

My close friends have several kids who are generally "OK" as kids. I've had some fun conversations with the kids as they've grown but my issue is one of the kids ("Alex") was babied (parents acknowledged this) and her behavior has really gotten out of hand. Think weaponized incompetence, neediness, unhelpful most of the time accompanied by extreme attitude and yelling at the parents when asked to do something she doesn't want to do, often relies on their other siblings to do things for them-and she's the oldest!

It's fine to feel mixed. It's fine to have not wanted kids. It's fine to feel complicated about their presence in your life now, or complicated about their mother.

"If someone hits my kid, I'm not raising them to go tell the teacher. Not raising a snitch. Handle it yourself, hit back, defend yourself, and if that's not enough, I will interfere."

In a study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, younger children were found to be slightly better at delaying gratification than older children, highlighting age-related differences in self-control.