How can I tell if my child’s behaviour is a call for connection or just a phase?

Clinginess, disobedience, frequent tantrums, and withdrawal are examples of behaviours that frequently pass as a ‘phase’ but are actually a child’s means of expressing emotional need. Although they cannot always express it verbally, children’s behaviour frequently suggests that they require intimacy. Is this behaviour more severe when we have not spent much time together? Does my calm concentration make it softer? A child is frequently looking for connection rather than control when they persistently act out in disruptive ways to get attention or authority. The key is to reconnect before correcting. Consider asking, ‘What is this behaviour trying to tell me?’ rather than, ‘How do I stop this?’ Five minutes of unbroken eye contact, laughing, or physical intimacy can sometimes calm things that no amount of discipline can. Naturally, every youngster goes through phases. However, their emotional demands do not change during those phases. Parenting becomes a connection rather than a reaction when those needs are met. Miscommunication frequently causes what appears to be misbehaviour, and a moment of presence rather than a lesson is the answer.