Exchange Pouting for Big Person Words

Everyone pouts at some point- it would be a lie to say the only person you've heard pout today was your child. In fact, you probably heard it from a variety of people, from individuals who you ran into at the grocery store or people who work in your office. They can't say what they really want or express their thoughts cohesively, so instead they pout, whine or sulk their way through the day. Want to take a guess as to when they learned that behavior was a way for them to get what they want? During childhood! You don't want your child growing up to be a professional pouter so it's time to stop it dead in its tracks.

Why Do Kids Pout?

Children, and even adults, pout because they don't know how else to express themselves. They're trying to express their anger, displeasure, and irritation towards a situation. If you continue to give into their pouting now it will just grow into a skill the child will use to take advantage of you when they become older. You need to make your child aware that pouting won't be tolerated and here is how:

1. Help your child find additional ways for them to express their feelings. Encourage them to talk about their feelings with you. Let them express how they feel about a certain situation or person, even if it's you. Persuade them to start their sentences with, "When you do __, I feel like __."
2. Allow them the chance to get some of their frustration out by expressing it in creative ways. Give your child a journal to write down the times that they feel upset or unhappy and what they can do to feel better. Together, go over the solutions he/she came up with and offer some additional ones.
3. Stand your ground! Let them know that pouting is not something that you recognize as acceptable behavior. If they're going to pout they need to leave the room.
4. Don't ignore their consistent pouting. Start with, "I can see you're beginning to pout right now, when you're ready to use words I will be happy and willing to talk about how you feel."
5. Set up a Feelings Chart and let them show you how they are feeling each day, or during different experiences.

Pouting, sulking, and whining is a phase that every child will go through. Remember that it's normal even though it doesn't mean it should be tolerated. Offer additional expressive ways for your child to convey how they're feeling. When pouting isn't addressed it has the potential to grow into a lifelong trend.