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Why Kids Push Your Buttons (And Why Yelling Makes It Worse)
Episode 5621st April 2026 • Educated Parent: Evidence-Based Parenting Tips to Solve Everyday Parenting Problems • Dr. Leah Clionsky
00:00:00 00:15:57

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If your child seems to know exactly how to get a reaction out of you, you’re not imagining it. When kids engage in attention-seeking behavior in children, it can feel intentional, frustrating, and hard to ignore, especially when it looks like child testing boundaries in real time.

In this episode, I’m breaking down what’s really going on underneath attention-seeking behavior in children and why kids rely on it to get positive attention. We’ll talk about how to respond when your child is child testing boundaries, what it looks like to stay grounded in confident parenting, and why your reaction matters more than you think. You’ll also learn how to shift your approach so that positive attention reinforces the behaviors you actually want to see.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why attention-seeking behavior in children is normal and often tied to a need for positive attention
  • What’s happening when your child is testing boundaries and looking for a reaction
  • How confident parenting helps you respond without escalating the situation
  • Why giving positive attention at the right time reduces attention-seeking behavior in children
  • How to handle moments of child testing boundaries without reinforcing the behavior
  • What positive attention looks like when you feel triggered or frustrated
  • How increasing positive attention can decrease attention-seeking behavior in children over time
  • When frequent child testing boundaries might signal a deeper need for connection and positive attention

If you’re stuck in a cycle where attention-seeking behavior in children and child testing boundaries lead to bigger reactions, this episode will help you shift into confident parenting and use positive attention in a way that actually works.

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