Children have their own temperaments, personalities and individual ways of reacting to authority. When rules and limits are placed upon children they may test the rules to the limit to find out how far their independence can go. The expectations set for them by parents may be too strict or too lenient and the children may resort to misbehavior to gain the attention not gained when behavior is good or as normally expected. A certain amount of defiance is expected, and healthy, as children establish their own independence. Each situation will differ in terms of circumstances, personalities and responsibilities.
Parents sometimes have a tendency to compare children with their siblings and peers.
All family members old enough to participate can be involved in establishing home rules and consequences for violation of the rules. What You Say Many times we speak before we think and make demands that we can't follow through with. If you don't clean up the dishes, you won't have dinner for a month. Don't say something that you can't follow through with. Think about the consequence of certain behaviors before expressing them.