Distract and Amuse to Defuse Bad Behavior

Traditionally, as a child's bad behavior escalates, so does a parent's emotional response, and volume of voice. Instead of speeding on that track to mutual tantrum, try distracting your child by doing something silly. Whisper instead of yelling. Use goofy language. Talk in a funny voice. Change the subject. Find a stuffed animal to continue the lecturing. Do things that have been reliable in the past in making your child laugh. You may be able to distract your child from whatever the topic of tension was and get that train on a safer track.

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