Thread: Behavior: Sarcastic Laughter

Children learn very early how to be master manipulators in order to get what they want. Somewhere along the line, it will backfire on the adults who give in to this child. They need to realize that the only person they are hurting is the child.

One of the elements in training a child to exhibit a specific behavior is consistency. If you punish a child for a misbehavior, stick to it otherwise he will not take the same form of punishment seriously the next time you try to execute it.

Not following through on consequences for misbehavior is a big mistake. The tutor should've known better. I'm surprised you didn't make the child stand in the corner anyway, since you and the tutor implemented the punishment in the first place.

Crying is not a reason to come out of a punishment. It's not teaching the child the right thing - they will always cry now (at school and at home). I'm sure this child is already doing this at home and is getting the same treatment. Kids are so tricky, even at that age.

Yes, kids these days can be manipulative. They can test you and find out what strategy they could use to stop you from punishing them for their misbehavior. They can use the appeal to the emotions such as crying or trying to look pitiful so be wary of such or else you might fall to their trap.

The child learned a lesson that day, as he has on many others, no doubt. The lesson is in how to get what he wants, or how to get out of doing something he doesn't want to do. Is this the lesson the tutor was trying to help you teach? I think not. Who flunked the test on this particular day? Who passed with flying colors?

Wow. To have already mastered these devious tactics at such a young age reeks of bad parenting in my eyes. Hopefully someone will straighten that kid out before he/she becomes out of control.

I think the kid might already be out of control. If someone does not step in and change this child's behavior, there are going to be major problems when he is a teen.

It's depressing to read stories like this, because by the time this child gets into middle school they'll be failing. Having said that, I'm not a big fan of punishments that involve standing in corners. Not sure about this case but I have seen teachers have the child face the wall during this time.