Kid back talk and sass are on the rise. Luckily, it’s one of the easiest behaviors to get rid of if you have a solid makeover plan and consistently use it. Here is a customized plan to stop back talk.



Step 1. Call Out Any Back Talk On the Spot

Any time your kid uses back talk, name it on the spot. He is then clear on what you expect. “That’s back talk. I don’t listen to that talk.” Make sure he knows what he did wrong and how to make it right.



Step 2. Refuse to Engage When Your Kid Talks Back

Kids are much more likely to stop talking back if they see it’s ineffective in getting our attention. So refuse to continue the conversation until your child stops talking back-and be sure to do it every time.  Usually when kids see you are not going to give in, they will stop.



Step 3. If Back Talk Continues, Set a Consequence

Suppose that you’ve been clear with your expectations, yet the back talk continues. It’s time to set a consequence. It must be clear to the child, have a specific duration, relate directly to the back talk, and fit the kid. Once set, consistently enforce it and don’t back down! One more thought: do consider letting your child participate in creating her own consequences--they often are much harsher than ones you’d set.



Step 4. Encourage Respectful Behavior

One of the simplest ways to increase the frequency of any behavior is to reinforce it when we see our child doing it right. The majority of the time we point out when they are acting incorrectly. So any time you see or hear your kids acting respectfully, express your pleasure and acknowledge his progress.

For more details on how to stop back talk, CLICK HERE!

Michele Borba, Ed.D. is an internationally renowned educational consultant and recipient of the National Educator Award. She is the author of 18 books including Building Moral Intelligence (Jossey-Bass) chosen by Publishers’ Weekly’s list of “most noteworthy for 2001.”  Her latest book is No More MisBehavin’; 39 Difficult Behaviors and How to Stop Them. (Jossey Bass, 2003).  She is a frequent guest expert on TV and NPR talk shows including Fox & Friends, The View, Jenny Jones, and serves on honorary board to Parents. For more information about her work visit www.micheleborba.com.