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How do you deal with bratty kids?

My cousin has a 4-year old that I only see a couple of times a year. I saw her over Christmas for the first time in almost a year, probably. She is a HUGE brat. I'm talking bossy, ordering everyone around, and if you even hint at saying no, or don't do what she says immediately, she literally dissolves into a ball on the floor, wailing hysterically. And she has an attitude.

I had a hard time being nice to the kid because of it, honestly.

I guess it's her parents' fault -- they think she craps rainbows (which I get is normal when it's your kid, buuuuuut), and her grandparents cater to the kid's every wish, too.

But, yeah, it's not fun. How do you handle other people's super-brats?

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Re: How do you deal with bratty kids?

  • If it's someone I know and feel comfortable. I don't hold back and call it how I see it. If they ask for something and I tell them no, as soon as the temper tantrum comes out. I tell them no matter how much she/he throws a fit they are not getting their way and advise them to get off the floor that instant. I have a very low tolerance for that stuff. My son knows better than to act that way.
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  • imagejaksmom8808:
    get off the floor that instant.

    lol I can hear you saying this.

    You tell em, jaksmom!

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  • Get them hopped up on sugar and send them back to their parents. Devil

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  • Like a pp said, if it's someone you're really close with, feel free to say something. Be prepared for the parents to get on the defense, but maybe letting them know someone else doesn't appreciate their child's out-of-line behavior will trigger something for them.
     
    I would never, ever let DS act like that. When he gets even close to throwing a tantrum (something very common at this age), he's immediately removed from the situation and spoken to.
     
    These parents are probably exhausted from their ill-attempts at reining in her behavior and have decided it's just easier to let her get her way. Hence, a brat is born.
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  • In the situation you described, I'd just say, "You know I can't talk to you when you are screaming like that, so when you calm down and are ready to talk come find me." and then I continue about my business. DS used to try the tantrum thing when he was 3ish and if I said that he'd quickly realize taht the tantrum wasn't going to get him what he wanted and he's stop. It worked like a charm. In you situation, when she calms down I might say, "Look, Aunt K doesn't like to be talked to like that and there are rules we all have to follow in this house. What were you trying to tell me with all that screaming?" A 4 year old should be able to talk to you.

    If we are out and a kid is bratty, usually I don't have to say anything. DS is so funny and usually will say, "Mommy that kid is not happy!" or "Mommy, why doesn't that kid's mommy tell him that he is being rude?" And then the parent looks at me and I give them a look like "oops ... out of the mouths of babes" and they usually tend to their bratty kid because they are embarassed that a 5 year old noticed the brattiness of the kid!

  • Dude, don't say anything to the parents unless it's someone you are around all the time and they are affecting your life or you are a caregiver (i.e. babysit them). Regardless of how much of a brat their kid truly is, coming from someone else is just gonna piss them off, especially since you don't have kids (sorry, but it's true).

     I'd just ignore the kid and walk away, or like pp's said, tell the kid directly "there is no way I'm going to talk with you when you act like that".

     

     

  • Hey, if you piss off the parents, then they and their bratty kid will probably avoid you after that, so it's a win-win.
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  • When my oldest DD was almost 4 or had just turned 4 my mother took her on a lunch date with my mom's friend and her granddaughter who is about 6 mths older than my DD.

    My mom said that her friend's GD was a HUGE brat and like threw tantrums and was just snotty and miserable. Apparently Dakota who is my  well behaved sweet little angel gave the other girl a look the whole time that was like "what are you doing??" but that is because if my kids even THINK about having a fit or being rude when we are out they know we will leave and they will go home.

    If you only see this kid a few times a year at most I would just let ignore her unless she is being calm/nice. Reward positive behavior with attention. If someone who didn't have kids tried to give me parenting advice I would prolly just rolly my eyes and ignore you but then again like I said my kids would never act that way in public and I would be SO embarrassed if they did.

     

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