Don’t take anything the spoiled brat says personally. Often, in the heat of the moment, hurtful things can be said. Your spoiled child may scream and yell “no” at you or a spoiled friend may publicly call you out and say hurtful things to you. Remember that the spoiled person is acting in a rage and out of their own self-interest. You end up being the punching bag that they use to try to get their way and what they are saying has nothing to do with you as a person.
You may tell the person you are not emotionally ready to discuss the conflict and that you need some time to yourself. Or, you may instruct a spoiled child to stay in their room for ten to fifteen minutes while you take some time to process the conflict. Giving yourself time to check your emotions will allow you to deal better with the conflict.
For example, maybe the spoiled person talks to your partner rudely and calls them inappropriate names. You may then pull the person aside and explain that by doing that, they hurt your partner’s feelings and disrespected both you and your partner. You may then ask them to apologize for their behavior. Having a private discussion will allow you to let the person know that they did something wrong and resolve it together.
For example, maybe your spoiled child decides not to eat their dinner. You may then present several solutions, such as having them eat at least five bites of their food or having them go to bed hungry. Chances are, they may take the first option as they may not like going to bed on an empty stomach.
You may establish table manner rules early on, such as saying “please” and “thank you”, no elbows on the table (this is not very important, but it is more courteous as some people don’t like it), chewing with your mouth closed, and excusing yourself from the table. Enforcing these manners can help the spoiled brat to remain calm and collected at the table. You may have other rules for going out in public, like holding hands in a crowded area so that they do not run off or making sure that they know that they need to come with you when their name is called. You may also teach them that there are consequences if they act like a spoiled brat in public, as this could dissuade them from acting out. If you are dealing with a spoiled adult, you should also be direct about your boundaries and limitations. You may let the person know you are not available to take their calls or messages every hour of the day and that you strive to maintain clear boundaries in your life. Being clear and direct can help to prevent issues in the future.
You should try to follow the same daily routine for your child, such as waking them up at the same time every day and planning recreational activities on the same days of the week. You may also want to let them know in advance that there will be a change in their routine so that they are not surprised or freaked out by it. They may be triggered by the change, regardless, but at least you can say you warned them before it occurs.
You may reward them with kind words, taking a moment to say to her, “I appreciate how you are playing well with your sisters”, or “You’re doing a great job staying quiet and calm”. You may also reward them by treating them to a special outing or a fun activity you can both do together.
If your child is not speaking yet, you can have them learn baby sign language to express herself. You may teach them to use a certain action to express what they want, such as hunger, attention, or sleep.
Some triggers may be physical, such as hunger, where your child is over-tired and underfed. Your child may also have a medical condition, such as allergies, that can lead to grumpiness and a temper tantrum.
You may also have your child observe and comment on their own behavior so that they can learn how to resolve their own issues. This will encourage them to be more willing to address their own bad behaviors and get over being spoiled. For example, you may point out that your child tends to come home from school after a bad day and take out their anger on their little brother. Ask your child, “What can you do instead of pick a fight with your brother?” Your child may then come up with their own solutions to the issue, such as “Maybe I can spend some time alone in my room drawing and listening to music. ”
Don’t rescue the person from every uncomfortable situation. Allow the person to occasionally make mistakes.
Only reward good behavior and don’t agree to every request your child makes.
