The parenting mistakes that create brats

It’s every parent’s dilemma – wanting to keep your child happy without spoiling him or her too much.

Turns out, there is one simple mistake many parents are making which has the opposite affect and actually creates spoilt brats.

According to a family therapist the issue is threatening to punish your child for their bad behaviour, and then failing to follow through by taking action.

Hal Runkel explains in his new book Scream Free Parenting that not insisting your child faces the consequences of their actions is the single biggest mistake a parent can make.

Hal says that words of warnings are just empty threats.

As an example he writes that if your child hits their sibling with a toy and you threaten to take it away if they hit them 'one more time', your words will go over their head.

With this response, you're sending a message that they can get away with whatever behaviour they want. Instead you should take the toy they are using to hit their sibling with straight away from them, which will send a clear message and put them off doing it again.

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“By staying calm and connected with your kids, you begin to operate less out of your deepest fears and more out of your highest principles, revolutionising your relationships in the process.” Hal writes.

Another crucial part of preventing your child becoming a spoilt brat is letting them figure out how the world works for themselves.

It’s important to prepare your kids for life without you, and help them become independent. For example let them set their own alarm for school instead of waking them.

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