Your Concerns about Not Minding, Doing the Opposite, Arguing, Yelling or Swearing, Preschool

You said that your child does not do what you tell him/her to do as often as a few times a day. Many of the things listed below are common in children your child's age.

When you tell your child to do something s/he doesn't want to do s/he may:

• Shake his/her head or say "No!"
• Waste time
• Argue with you
• Use bad language
• Do the opposite of what you asked
• Try to put off doing things he/she does not want to do
• Refuse to do it
• Have a "bad attitude"
• Make hand gestures

Warning signs that things are getting worse:

• Your child seems 'Out of control' (e.g. breaks things, destroys things)
• Your child is not minding, arguing, yelling or swearing at school/daycare
• His/her behavior often causes you have to change your plans

If you think these problems are getting worse, tell your child's doctor, even if you have discussed these things before.

Adapted in part from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Primary Care (DSM-PC) (1996).