Where did that behaviour come from?

Have you ever looked at your child and thought, “Where the heck did that behaviour come from?”

Often the problem showing up inside your home did not actually start there.

Children of all ages are influenced by the world around them. Their friends, school, social media, gaming, YouTube, other families, and whatever happens to be considered "normal" in their little world can all shape how they behave.

Then suddenly, something that began outside the family becomes a family problem.

Your child starts copying behaviour that feels completely unlike them. You step in, and somehow you become the bad guy. You're too strict or unfair. Everyone else is allowed. Nobody else’s parents care.

It can feel like you are fighting your own child, when really, you are fighting the pressure surrounding them.

Younger children might copy rough play, rude language, lying, or bossy behaviour because they have seen it somewhere else.

Older children and teens might take bigger risks, follow the crowd, or defend behaviour they know you will not accept because fitting in feels more important than the consequences.

That doesn't mean we ignore the behaviour. It means we look underneath it too.

Who are they copying?

What are they trying to fit into?

What has become normal in their world?

What are they scared of missing out on?

Sometimes understanding where the behaviour came from is the first step towards changing what is happening at home.