Grumpy Kids – and What to do

Grumpy kids are everywhere

Grumpy kids live in every house. It doesn’t matter who their parents are or in what country they reside. Kids can be grumpy. So can their parents. If we want kids who are not grumpy, we must model what we expect from them. Sometimes, when we are grumpy, we need some quiet and space; we need to reset. Our kids need that, too.

When your kids are grumpy, start by considering the root problem.

• Is your child tired?
• Has his diet been healthy or overloaded with sugar?
• Is your child sick?
• Have you been lax as a parent; and therefore, he doesn’t know what the boundaries are?
• Are there outside issues going on? (friends, playmates or unfulfilled wishes)
• Does he need a restart?

Grumpy kids can find a smile

Once you’ve figured out the source of the grumpiness, you can find the solution. However, there are days when, no matter what you try, your kid is a grump. He’s miserable and he wants to make sure everyone else is miserable, too. He might not realize he’s in the grumpy kids category, but he is.

This is what I did when my kids were a grump. (This works best for kids under ten; after that, they don’t think you’re funny.)

Tell your child he lost something. “You need to go back to your room and find it!” I used to tell my kids.

When their quizzical looks let me know they were intrigued in spite of their grump, I continued. “I’m pretty sure your smile is hiding somewhere in your bedroom! You forgot to put on your smile, so go find it. Keep looking until you find your smile, then put it on and come back downstairs.”

Sometimes I’d say, “I wonder where that smile is hiding! Maybe it’s under your bed, or hiding under your pillow. Or maybe, just maybe, it jumped into your dresser. Go find that smile. Come back when you’ve found your smile!”

A game turns a grump into a grin

Tell your child his smile is upside down. Help him “turn” that frown around! Send him to look for his smile, or go help him look all around his room for that elusive smile. Turning this into a game takes the focus off of the grouchy attitude and makes giving up the “grumpy” something fun.

When your child goes to his room to find his smile, he has time to reset. You do, too. 

This game turns his frown into a smile. You’ll be happier, and so will he.

Photo credits: pixabay.com and MyWindowsill