Title: Dealing With Manipulative Children | HealthGuidance.org
Headings: Dealing With Manipulative Children
Dealing With Manipulative Children
Manipulation Is a Learned Behavior
Figure Out Why, What, Who, When, and Where
Change YOUR Behavior

Content: Manipulation Is a Learned Behavior
Your child was not born with the manipulative gene, nor were they preprogrammed to be able to con you into doing whatever they wanted. As sad as it sounds and as hard as it may be for you to realize or accept it; they learned it from you. That’s not to say that you are manipulative and they learned how to do it from you; it simply means that they began with very small; almost unrecognizable manipulations and you gave in. They kept manipulating you and you kept giving them what they wanted; kids learn very quickly. Your child soon learned that hurtful words, blaming others, begging and pleading, or even lying got them exactly what they wanted. While this was learned quickly, changing this behavior is not quite so easy.