Dealing With A Spoiled Child

Baby sitting is a great way for you to make money as a teen. In fact, many people see it as an ideal job – they get paid to play with kids and have fun.

However, not all babysitting jobs are easy. Talk to some of your friends who baby sit and they’re sure to have some stories to tell about the kids. If you baby sit frequently, it’s pretty much inevitable that at some point, you will come across a charge that is difficult to deal with, or downright spoiled.

You can still keep your cool when dealing with a spoiled child by following these tips:

Don’t get angry.

The most important thing you can remember is to not get angry, lose your temper, or yell at the child no matter how frustrated you get. Whining and throwing tantrums can be difficult to deal with, but just keep your cool and you will be able to handle the situation much better.

Make sure the child knows you are in charge.

Some kids will try and get away with things just because the parents aren’t home or because they don’t think you will put your foot down. You can still be kind but firm. For example, if a spoiled child demands you let him stay up to watch his favorite show, first tell him no. If he persists and tells you his parents always let him stay up, you can say something like, “Really? Well, they told me you were supposed to go to bed at X time. You can tell them about it tomorrow.” Remind them that you are in charge and don’t give in, no matter how much they whine.

Practice distraction techniques.

An easy and often effective way to stop a demanding or spoiled child’s behavior is to practice distraction techniques. For example, if a child wants to go outside after dinner but his parents don’t allow that, say, &quotNo, you can’t go outside. It’s too late. But why don’t you help me pick out a DVD to watch/story to read?” By presenting a more or equally–appealing option, many children will abandon the whining and begging and become much more agreeable.

Don’t punish unless you have permission from the parents.

If you know a child has a tendency to act spoiled, don’t assume it’s alright to punish him. Instead, make sure you are clear with the parents about how they want you to discipline, if they do at all, should the occasion arise. Some parents will prefer that you just call them if you experience any behavior problems.

Ignore spoiled behavior.

One way to deal with a spoiled child who is whining or throwing tantrums is to ignore the behavior. Let the child throw a tantrum (as long as he is not breaking things or hurting himself or other kids) without responding to it, or tell a whiner, “I’m sorry, but I can’t understand you when you whine.” When kids see their spoiled behavior won’t get them what they want, they’ll stop.

Let them know you’ll report bad behavior to their parents.

Another good way to deal with a spoiled child is to let him or her know that if the behavior continues, you will tell the parents when they get home.

These tips will help you to deal with any spoiled kids you may run across while babysitting.