How do I control back talking in a 6 year old?

Question

My 6 year old son has been for the most part a very good boy, here lately he has picked up a smart mouth, stubborn attitude. When he is told to do something he will not listen and will have attitude saying things like "Hold on I will do it in a minute!". I have taken away fun things such as playstation, playing with friends, and tv times as punishment, but now that doesn't seem to be working. Any suggestions on what else I can do? He gets plenty of attention! We play games, go bike riding, or play ball almost everyday after work, and he is also involved in karate which he attends twice a week. So what else could be the problem??? Please help!

Answer 1

Of course taking things away isn't working, that is because he knows that eventually whatever has been taken away is going to be returned especially when it comes to video games and television.  Things such as that should be privileges and privileges should be earned, not just given because it keeps him quiet.  Rules and boundaries should have been set long before his 6th birthday...more like at the age of 2.  The problem is that there is no real set discipline measures.  Again you need to set rules and boundaries and you need to stick to them.  He currently has no rules or boundaries and no privleges that he has to earn by behaving.  

Answer 2

to control his back talking you have to backhand him in the face until he stops

Answer 3

my six, almost 7 year old daughter has started the same thing, and boy is it frustrating. I have tried grounding and taking things away, too with no luck.

You have to put your foot down, if you ask him to do something, and he talks back, you say pardon me, and force him to do what you have ask of him. Dont let him get away with it. The two finger little smack on the lips is good for a smart mouth. it dosnt hurt them, its not abuse and it shows them who is boss. This has worked for my daughter...now when i ask her to do something and she dosnt, i just have to give her a look, or say her name with a tone, and she is up doing it.

Answer 4

He likes attention, even negative. It doesn't matter that he gets positive attention, because negative attention is just as appealing to him. I have found that the best way to manage such a personality (like my son's) is to ignore it, or isolate him. No words, no warnings, no arguments, because he actually likes that. Simply ignore the back talk and for punishment, he can hang out by himself in his room with books. Make sure his room is free of tv, computer, and video games.  The message you need to send is "I don't want to interact with you when you act this way." Good luck!

Answer 5

It's just a stage. But I'm not saying don't punish him, or he'll think its okay and won't out grow it.

Answer 6

Kids seem to change when they start school. They make friends and pick things up in the playground. Do you thnk he could be copying the behaviour of one of his friends from school? My oldest is only 4 but he started giving my lip when his baby brother was born, kids crave attention and sometimes it doesn't matter what type of attention they get, good or bad. If he gets a reaction from you when he says stuff like that then you are giving him what he wants. But like you say, he is not lacking in attention. Have you tried telling him that if he speaks to you like that then you will ignore him? I hate to say it, and I will probably get some thumbs down from do-gooding mum's but do you smack him? Our kids are a cotton wool generation, my mother gave me a clip round the ear if I stepped out of line as did the majority of parents in generations above. It never did me any harm and I use this as a form of disapline where necessary. Maybe it's just a phase he is going through? Good luck xx

Answer 7

Why does a six year old child have a playstation?

Besides that, spanking and lightly smacking them on the mouth is the best way to discipline.

Spanking does not harm your child.  It does not give them a complex, nor does it turn them into a murderer, burglar, child abuser, etc.

Taking things away for punishment doesn't do anything because they know that soon they will get it back.

Spanking on the butt lets them know that they'll get that again next time they act up, so they better not.

Start disciplining him now before it's too late or else he'll grow up to be a little terror (saw that in my young brother-in-law for a while, but now he's so much better after he started getting disciplined...he is now 9 years old)

Answer 8

Has something changed in his life that may be causing him some turmoil...therefore causing him to act out? New school, friend  problems, changes at home, etc? Maybe try to figure out what the cause of the issue is and then go about correcting it.  

Answer 9

Stop it now.  Backtalking at six, leads to being told to shut up at 10 then you may get abused later on.

If he is generally a good kid, timeout first, grounding second and, you may not want to hear it, but a good spanking usually works if all else fails.

Answer 10

Try putting him in time out.  Let him know that you are the boss not him. I have a 6 year old boy and he has tried the same things. I put him in time out and make him pick up his room everyday that's his job . That's what I tell him

Answer 11

probably just a stage and he will go through it but to make sure it doesnt get bad just make sure when you tell him to do something he does it than like you asked. When you ask him to do something and he says that hes getting what he wants and doing it when he feels its conveniant for him. make sure hes ok (not sad, depressed, upset about anything)  

Answer 12

Totally ignore him when he is using a smart mouth.  Act like you can't hear anything with that tone.  Respond when he uses the right tone with pleases and thank yous.  

Say phrases that include what you think is good behavior, for example:  I like it when you speak to me in a pleasant tone and are so polite.  Catch him being good and then vocalize what he did right.  Look up positive reinforcement.  It is a tried and true method that teachers use all the time.

Answer 13

I make our son write sentences.  "I will do what I am told" or "I will not talk back"...he will write 5 sentences.  If its too bad, like we caught him stealing candy from a store, he had to write 20 sentences and he got no tv that night before bed.

Answer 14

It's the age...  I'm almost positive.  My daughter is 6 and is mouthy too.  I'm not sure how to fix it, but I just keep on her about her attitude and she does okay.

Answer 15

Maybe his friends are a bad influence? Or maybe he sees kids on TV talking to their parents like that?  

Answer 16

take down his pants and give him an old fashioned spanking

bet he won't back talk again.

Answer 17

First offense she gets a warning, second offense it is time out for 6 minutes. (1 minute for each year).  Make sure you tell her breifly why she is there "you need to sit in time out for 6 minutes because you talked back to mommy" Once the time out is over and she has successfully stayed in time out, then you tell her to apologize and then give her a hug.  

Answer 18

a stage maybe? give him a taste of his own medicine (more rather poison lol)