Why Do Children Like To Attract Attention? – Being Parents

Many parents have wondered why children like to attract attention. Scenes of whims, children who interrupt the conversations of adults or who are in bad shape by doing almost on purpose are the daily bread in many homes.

There are several factors that can define what happens to the child when he behaves in this way. However, almost all child psychologists agree that  children who seek their parents’ attention all the time hide a fear  of being abandoned.

In addition, they claim that they have created in their minds a connection between disturbing their parents and the immediate response to their needs.

Why do children like to attract attention?

Very young children are almost innately programmed to attract the attention of their parents to meet their needs.

This instinctive condition has for centuries allowed the children of the human species to survive. Indeed, they communicate via cries and tears, in the absence of reason and the faculty to speak.

Thus, the child as he grows,  continues to associate crying, raising of voice or cries for the attention of his parents. It reproduces the techniques he used when he was a baby. He thus feels protected and served.

It is inferred that  children like to attract attention when they need love, understanding or a reward. There are four situations in themselves that illustrate children’s needs and how they relate to such behavior:

• The child notices that when he raises his voice or interrupts a conversation, the parents notice his presence. This includes other members of the conversation. He thus feels integrated.
• The child manipulates with his behavior. He thus realizes that if he takes a whim in the street, he manages to get his parents to give him what he wants only to calm him down. He thus frequently resorts to caprice as a form of domination.
• Children who are siblings often feel overshadowed  by them. They seek the attention of their parents to obtain the first place in the “ranking of love”.
• Those who show their feelings but feel they have no response from their parents take extreme measures. Thus, they behave badly to demonstrate their nonconformity and discomfort to them more categorically.

Tips for dealing with the situation

As we mentioned before, we can deduce that a child who seeks to attract your attention excessively, eagerly demonstrates a form of domination and imposition of his requests.

The best way to deal with the situation will be through  effective communication and a review of power roles at home.

Of course, it is not easy to refocus the child so that he expresses his worries, troubles and needs in another way. Parents must be patient. Indeed, the best way to make them change their attitude is not to give in to the child. On the other hand, we must try to immediately establish a dialogue between the parties.

It is very likely that at the first attempts, the little one will catch fire by feeling disputed. Parents, however, need to firmly maintain their authority to ensure that the child communicates in an educated, respectful and timely manner.

Questioning parents

It must be very clear that there is a difference between children who get attention for immediate benefit like manipulation and children who do so because they suffer from “abandoned child syndrome”.

This is why  parents must question the time spent with their children. On the one hand, they must assess whether it is of quality. The little one must be filled with affection. There may be verbal or physical abuse in addressing the child.

On the other hand,  one must consider whether it is properly supervised. In all these cases, attracting attention will be a consequence of multiple deficiencies in the child.

Finally,  it is important that you analyze your interaction with the child. Do not hesitate to ask for help if you feel that your child’s behavior is eluding you.