The negative habit of children

The negative habit of children

The bad & Ugly

People think parents tend to over-react when it comes to their child’s bad habits. This is because we know children will eventually outgrow those habits. However, they warn that there are signs when parents should be worried. Below are some of the great tips that parents should be on the look out for:

Bad Habit 1: Nail Biting

Some studies estimate that 30 percent to 60 percent of children between the ages of five and ten chew on one or more nails, as do about 20 percent of adolescents.

You should get worried when: Your child has ingrown, infected nails or recurrent bleeding.

Bad Habit 2: Thumb Sucking

Most thumb suckers are younger children. In fact, anywhere from a quarter to half of two to four year olds suck their thumbs.

You should get worried when: You child develops dental problems, thumb or finger infections.

Bad Habit 3: Nose Picking

Nose picking appears to be a habit that, although it usually begins in childhood, may actually linger into adulthood. A study of adults found that 91 percent picked their noses on a regular basis!

You should get worried when: Your child has frequent nosebleeds

Bad Habit 4: Hair Twirling

If your child is a hair twirler, the odds are that it’s your daughter but the good news is that most hair twirlers and pullers stop as they get older.

You should get worried when: There’s a noticeable amount of hair loss because your child might have a serious psychological condition called trichotillomania (serious hair pulling)

Bad Habit 5: Tics

Tics are behaviours such as repeated twitches or movements and it can involve any part of the body. A facial tic such as blinking the eyes is a common problem.

You should get worried when: The tic occurs longer than a year or when your child cannot suppress it because it may be a sign of a more serious problem than just a habit.

Bad Habit 6: Breath Holding

This is by far the most worrisome bad habit for parents because they fear the child could get hurt. However, experts reassure parents that this bad habit is actually more alarming to parents than dangerous for the child.

You should get worried when: Your child passed out or have a brief seizure.

How do I help my child break the bad habit?

• First, try ignoring the annoying behaviour because your child will outgrow the habit with time. Giving it a lot of attention may encourage the behaviour.
• Praise your child for good behaviour; “I see that you are not biting your nails, great job!” You can also offer rewards such as allowing your daughter to use nail polish when their nails grow.
• Try to understand why they are doing it. Find out if they are stressed out or worried about something. Some do it to gain your attention.
• Never ridicule, punish or criticize your child because that’s not helping and would actually make things worse.
• Let them know you are there to help and you must make them understand why you want them to kick the habit. Children as young as three could understand your reasoning.
• Be consistent in rewarding good behaviour. If you notice the bad habits but fail to notice good ones, it will disappear through time.
• Redirect your child to a better solution – if your child picks his nose because it’s irritated, teach him to clean it with a tissue.
• Be aware of your own behaviour! If you expect them to quit, you’ll have to do it too because guess who they learn it from?