Child Psychology: A Basic Understanding of Child’s Behavior

INTRODUCTION

Psychology deals with the scientific study of mind and behavior. As per American, ―It is a multifaceted discipline and includes many subfields of study areas such as human development, sports, health, clinical, social behavior and cognitive processes.‖ It can be hard to treat any condition related to the mind as it is highly complex. Personalities are categorized into the following three: 1) Extroverts: Those who enjoy social interactions. They get energized by meeting and talking to people. 2) Introverts: They are reserved and enjoy silence. Social gatherings are not really their forte. 3) Ambivert: A person who enjoys both social gatherings and home alone time. This type of person has lots of great traits. They are flexible, they know when to talk and when to listen. This paper discusses how child psychology works, do‘s and don'ts for parenting. In general, a socially, developmentally and culturally appropriate behavior is considered normal for kids. Otherwise age-appropriate and not harmful behavior can be normal even if it does not meet the societal or cultural expectations. At times a child may yell, argue, throw a few tantrums.. But if such behavior becomes a daily occurrence, then it is a cause for concern. Look out for any change in a child's behavior. Look for the signs that indicate the abnormalcy in the way a child is behaving. Some of them are mentioned below: ● Violent behavior in kids is not normal. They may display destructive behavior like throwing things, hitting, screaming, etc. ● Child has frequent emotional outbursts and minor things bother him. ● Performance in school is affected by frequent peer fights, disinterest in going to school, going late to school. ● Cannot focus on one thing, gets anxious, extremely lazy or not interested. ● Child gets adamant about certain things and starts yelling and crying, if the wish is not granted immediately. ● Personality switches from extrovert to introvert in a child. A talkative kid suddenly starts keeping quiet. First of all, parents should keep in mind that at times kids can be annoying. Misbehaving children can make parenting stressful. As a parent, one should listen to their kids‘ stories, guide them in a positive way, appreciate their good behavior and accept that child is gonna make mistakes as well. Listed below are a few points that can help parents to handle bad or disruptive behavior in children: ● Try to improve your negative sides. Children learn by observation and for them their parents are the best. ● Parents are the best teacher, a child can get. Teach your kid how to be patient and keep their cool under difficult situations. ● Listen to your child‘s day, spend some time with your kid. ● Your reaction or responses to your child‘s behavior should be persistent. Children observe your habits and will imitate the same. ● Children should learn the importance of being disciplined and doing things on time. ● Make kids feel responsible for their behavior. This sense of responsibility will make them feel appreciated. ● Take a day off and sometimes let your child has his own space, let them shout, play.

Psychology is a broad and diverse field that encompasses the study of human thought, behavior, development, personality, emotions, motivation and more. The main point is that a child should not feel emotionally vulnerable. Parents should have an emotional attachment with their child. For developing a sense of self responsibility in the child, parents should ask the child what he/she wants to do and consider their choice. We can change the behavior of an individual by understanding the situation, appreciation and involving him/her in adventurous activities.

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Associate Professor, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Govt. College, Kaithal, Haryana