SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Kids have a knack for waiting until you're in a public place before they unleash the “back talk." Sometimes the sassy comments are rare, but if you notice it happening more often it could be a sign of something else.
In today's Mom Squad, 3News' Maureen Kyle talks to Barbara Streeter, the consulting therapist with the Hanna Perkins Center about what's behind the back talk.
“The older you get, the older the child gets, the more you have to discern what's really going on because a child can start talking back because they are angry at you or they don't like being bossed, but they can also start talking back because they're feeling badly about something," Streeter says. "And they don't know how to say it. And they want you to feel some of their pain or it's like a cry for help."
But how can you tell the difference between a child pushing back on being “bossy” and a child who is struggling with something else deeper and more hurtful?
“The rule of thumb is to say, 'Wait a second.' As I say this is normal, don't just let it go. You have to say 'that's not an appropriate way to let me know that's how you're feeling. Let's find another way,'" Streeter explains.
To listen to how parents should react when kids start talking back to teachers and coaches, you can download the Mom Squad Pod where ever you get your podcasts.
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