
Whitney - posted on 11/28/2010 ( 9 moms have responded )
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I don't know where she learned this, but my Daughter has started screeching when she gets mad! I try to ignore her when she does it, but does anyone have any ideas or how to nip it in the bud?
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Laura - posted on 11/29/2010
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This is a tricky conundrum: To allow screeching or to not allow it, that is the question. I actively worked to end that habit of expression in my daughter--IMO it is an inappropriate way to express oneself AND it is very disruptive to others when in public.
Ignoring certain negative behavior, like screeching, is usually a good first step to try. As others have mentioned, often the child will stop when it does not get the desired response from a parent. All that's needed is a bit of patience (and ear plugs!). HOWEVER, if the screeching behavior continues for very long and is goes unacknowledged , then one runs the risk of sending the message to the child that this is an acceptable form of expression/communication. Screeching can become a habit that then becomes harder to deal with. At this point parental intervention becomes needed.
When my daughter was little she tried this screeching only a few times (fortunately) and we immediately countered with a firm "no screaming, use your indoor voice, please" (the use of "no" is contreversial in and of itself, but we have always found it useful). Only after she stopped, and we waited a few moments, did her dad and I give her some attention. She only did this once (that I can remember anyway) in a public place where I immediately removed her from the store--which worked well because she didn't get to look at the toys there! We were consistent with how we dealt with this behavior and she learned pretty quickly that screaming/screeching was not a good way to get our attention. Afterall, part of a parent's job is to teach. Teaching children appropriate social behavior makes it easier for them to get along with others in the long run. My husband and I chose to teach her that this behavior was not acceptable early on rather than later. It saved my eardrums! Hope this helps a bit and good luck!