Dealing with an aggressive baby can be frustrating; is it even normal for a baby to be aggressive? Come to think of it; a baby is supposed to be a bundle of joy – a fluffy ball of love. Why on earth should a baby be aggressive – like where do they get that from?
These and more were the same questions I had running through my mind after I had my second baby. My God, she was such an aggressive baby. So, I know all that it takes to handle and remedy such a situation.
Is it Normal for a Baby to be Aggressive?
To answer the question of whether it is normal for a baby to be aggressive, the answer is yes! As a baby grows, it is not only the physical attributes that develop. The psychological and emotional attributes of the baby also undergo development.
That said, it is normal for the baby to experience anger and aggression as part of his or her development process. Although I agree that this may be one of the most difficult challenges as a parent or caregiver, it is one that you have to deal with adequately.
However, you need to pay attention to how your baby relates to other kids and adults. You should also try to control the temperament and aggression of the baby. In this article, we will tell you how and guide you through the proper process.
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Control Tips for Aggressive 4-Year Old Baby
It can be annoying to have a 4-year old who is aggressive or has got a temper – but trust me when I say this is not the time you want to be annoyed.
Aggression in a 4-year old can be a result of different triggers which may not ultimately be the fault of the baby. So, you should do all you can to bring the situation under control in order to help the baby.
Some tested and trusted tips can help improve the behavior of a baby during the cause of development. Below, we have highlighted some helpful control tips for you to employ for an aggressive 4-year old baby.
6 Control Tips for Aggressive 4-Year-Old Baby
1. You Should Always Respond Immediately
When you notice that your child is acting aggressively, you should respond immediately without any delay. Please do not wait until it gets physical or out of control before you intervene.
Even if the child passes a wrong look, sigh, or expression of anger, you should not hesitate to let them know that it is wrong and unacceptable. Please do not wait until they begin to throw tantrums or become physical.
2. Calm Down the Situation Maturely
Yes, I agree that experiencing such behavior from your kid – especially at that age, can be annoying. But trust me when I say this is not the time for you to be annoyed.
You need to be calm and discuss the situation after you take control of the situation. I always advise parents and caregivers to first start by making the baby understand that it is normal to be annoyed.
Then you would need to ask them what triggered their aggression and offer better ways for them to handle it without being physical or insulting.
3. Give Everyone the Same Treatment
As a parent or caregiver, you should try your best to always discipline every kid in the same way. A baby will get more aggressive when they suspect that you treat another kid better than you treat them.
Also, you should ensure that you do not take threats and signs of aggression lightly. It would be best if you learned to put out the fire before it even starts and make all the kids know that no one will tolerate aggression.
4. Be an Advocate of Self Control
Please do not wait until your kid does something wrong before you speak about self-control to them. Self-control is not a remedy to bad behavior, and it is something they should always imbibe.
So, watch out for times when your kid does something right or polite, and commend their self-control. This way, they will build their self-control and act better.
When you notice that your child has anger issues, teach them the rules to calm down aggression. One is to count from 1 to 10 before speaking or taking action. Another is to blow and deflate a balloon repeatedly. This has been discovered to help calm both kids and adults.
5. Focus on Moral Lessons
It would be best to teach your kid the moral lessons of not being aggressive to others. As a baby, they are unaware of the difference between right and wrong. It is your duty as a parent or caregiver to help them understand the key difference.
Let them understand that their aggressive behavior hurts everyone around them – especially you. It would help if you also let them understand the advantages of having empathy and good moral ethics, as against aggression.
The results may not be instant, but trust me when I say that you are laying vital foundational building blocks for your child’s future.
6. Spend More Personal Time Together
As a parent or caregiver, you should try to spend more personal time with your kid as much as possible. This will make them learn a lot from your actions and also make them feel loved.
Many kids act in an aggressive manner when they feel neglected or want more attention. By doing fun activities together, you are building your kid’s social skills, which will subdue their aggression.
It is also advisable that you have a bedtime or dinner routine with your kids – or kid, to improve bonding.
Why is My 11-Month-Old So Angry?
Personally, I do not like to call it anger or aggression when it relates to a baby under a year. An 11-month-old baby has no control over their emotions, so it is somewhat impossible for them to have anger.
What we notice in them, however, is a reaction to their environment and those around them. They may also engage in some signs and attitudes as a way of communicating – not necessarily anger or aggression.
When a baby is ill, hungry, tired, or irritated, they would become cranky and act in a way you may think they are angry. So, for instance, a baby may want to play with your mobile phone and would cry uncontrollably when you snatch it from their hands.
The baby will forget all about the incident the moment you calm him or her down. Unlike older kids, an 11 months old baby will not lodge a grudge against you or build on the anger.
In such a situation, do not abandon the baby. Even though you do not initiate physical contact with them, be around them to assure them of your presence. When you acknowledge their feelings and pet them, it shortens the tantrum.
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What Causes Aggressive Behavior in Children
Children are not aggressive by nature. They are lovely and joyful creatures – and we should do everything to make them remain so. It is important for us to know what causes aggressive behavior in children. The knowledge of this will guide you in making the best decisions to prevent and control the situation when need be.
Below, we have highlighted the major and most common causes of aggressive behaviors in children. Let’s check them out and equip ourselves with some vital information to help build good behavior in our children.
5 Causes of Aggressive Behavior in Children
1. Family Background or Challenge
Children get affected by issues in the home more than you can imagine. When a child notices a financial challenge or disagreement between parents, it affects their psychology.
Such experiences often cause tension in the child and lead to aggressive behaviors. They are unable to put their emotional impulses and frustration under control, so they take it out on others.
2. Mental or Neurological Issues
A child may have aggressive behavior as a result of mental or neurological problems. This may be as a result of deficiencies in a hormonal or chemical imbalance in the child.
As a parent or caregiver, if you fear that this may be the case with your child, it is best to consult a medical professional.
3. Emotional or Psychological Trauma
When a child experiences the death of a parent or loved one, divorce, domestic violence, or sexual abuse, it affects them both emotionally and psychologically.
As a result, you will notice that they tend to act aggressively towards others, and are unable to put themselves under control. If you notice that a child is undergoing emotional trauma, you should come to their aid quickly before the situation escalates.
4. Behavioral Disorder
According to research, more children are being born with behavioral disorders. Medical experts say that children who suffer from Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) also tend to become aggressive.
Children who fall under this category need special attention and treatment for them to be able to perform and function academically and socially.
5. Influence and Exposure
Children are easily influenced and are quick to copy what they are exposed to. So, when a child is often exposed to crime, violence, and strong language on television or social media, they will put it into practice.
Experts advise that parents should continuously monitor the type of content their children are exposed to, as it greatly affects their behavior.
How to Control Aggressive Behavior in Children
As a parent or caregiver, it is your responsibility to control aggressive behavior in a child – or children under your care. As you already know, children are the adults and leaders of tomorrow, and we owe them a duty to raise them right.
I am not saying it is easy, but I sure know it is achieving and rewarding. Below, we have highlighted some tips on how you can effectively control aggressive behaviors in children. Let us take a look!
5 Ways to Control Aggressive Behaviors in Children
1. Teach Them the Way to Go
Always set house rules and behavioral guidelines for your kids. Doing this has made it clear to them what is right and acceptable as kids. In addition, this will help them know that every one of their actions has consequences. Hence, they will have a second thought before exhibiting any aggressive behavior.
2. Be Calm at All Times
You cannot control your child from being aggressive when you are an aggressive person yourself. So, you have to make sure that you put yourself under control at all times. In order to teach them to express themselves through words accordingly, always do the same.
3. Be Positive
Always commend your kids for something good that they have done. Whenever your child does something right or uses the right words, compliment them and tell them how mature they are.
4. Be Disciplined
When your kids get out of line, be sure to discipline them. There is nothing wrong with telling your child they are grounded or depriving them of something they like because of inappropriate behavior. If a child knows there are consequences to every action, the child will make better decisions.
5. Know when to be a Parent
We often talk about how much we need to be friends with our children. But we need to understand that we are parents before any other thing. So, you need to know when to be a parent. Then, lead your kids by showing them good examples and correcting them when they are wrong.