When kids behave badly, just keep calm

Routine is key to keeping things smooth, says Helen O’Callaghan.

Keep calm. It’s a safe bet that it’s the first bit of advice you’ll hear from most parenting ‘experts’. But it can be easier said than done when your child seems to know so well how to test your limits.

Val Mullally, parent coach and author of Behave — What To Do When Your Child Won’t, identifies a few child behaviours that often push parents’ buttons.