Change Your Child's Rebellious Behavior with 4 Positive Strategies

One of the best parenting tips I gleaned from our pediatrician was that kids secretly thrive on having rules and boundaries. Because of her keen advice, I hit the ground running with a loving set of family expectations when we began raising our brood of eight.

My once easygoing daughter announced she didn't have to help with her chores any longer ... because she didn't feel like it.

She was right! My kids always did better when they had firm expectations. As they grew, we tweaked them. However, I vividly remember when there was a shift in my kid's attitudes about our household rules. My once easygoing daughter announced she didn't have to help with her chores any longer ... because she didn't feel like it. And my usually eager-to-please tween son decided he was no longer going to walk the dog and take out the trash before he started his homework. And that was if, in fact, he even did his homework at all.

Huh? What was going on here?

Why does rebellious behavior happen in children?

Parents know their kids better than anyone. If you've noticed behaviors that don't reflect the personality you're used to seeing from your child, do some investigating to figure out what might be going on. The source might be as simple as your teen being districted by having a crush on a girl in biology class. Or maybe it's more challenging, like your tween being bullied by the mean girls during lunch. Circumstances like those can make for unexpected changes in your child's behavior.

It's normal for teens to test authority when they want to exert their independence and get out from under their parent's constant watch and supervision.

But under any circumstances, it's normal for teens to test authority when they want to exert their independence and get out from under their parent's constant watch and supervision. Studies have shown that a teen's brain is still not done forming and growing, which can lead to emotional outbursts. David Elkind, Ph.D., author of All Grown Up and No Place to Go and professor of child development at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, explains that:

During the teenage years, the area of the brain called the prefrontal cortex is developing. This is the part of your brain that is behind your forehead. It's your thinking cap and judgment center, which means kids can now develop their ideals and ideas.... In turn, this means that younger children don't see the flaws in their parents, whereas adolescents suddenly see the world more realistically.

David Elkind, Ph.D,...

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