1) Most parents do not enjoy watching their children misbehave. Bad behavior by children often results in bad behavior by parents. The first idea that has to go is that poor parenting is what makes children misbehave or behave badly. The cause of the child's behavior may lie in psychological problems; it may even lie in the biology of the child. Whatever the reason, the important issue is how parents respond when children act out. 2) Aggressive behavior starts early in children's lives. A study looked at children 6 to 24 months of age. Mothers reported how often their children acted out, or displayed poor behavior. They cited kicking, hitting, pulling hair, biting and even hurting animals. The most common actions were hitting or smacking another person. The least common action was hurting animals. Hitting someone peaked at 18 months when eight of 10 kids were hitting and smacking other people. Kicking, pushing and throwing things peaked at 20 months. The "terrible twos" started before the age two. Pediatricians can assure parents that these behaviors are normal in small children. The big job is to guide parents on how to deal with their children when they behave this way. From the start, parents should set limits. They need to respond in ways that may help redirect or distract a child. This would help a child go from misbehaving to a more positive behavior. Pediatricians believe these approaches work. It seems certain that positive responses such as these are better than anger or punishment. 3) The frequency, intensity, and length of the bad behavior are also important. There are some questions that parents must also consider. Does the child have any issues that he or she is dealing with? Does the child have friends? Some children may show signs of depression when they have had a negative experience. The answers to these questions may explain why the child is acting out. 4) Parents often use their instincts in dealing with their children without considering what is causing the misbehavior. They may respond with anger, threats. And punishment. A better way is to plan in order to avoid potential conflicts. For example, if getting ready for school is a problem, parents can come up with ways to make it easier. This would help them to avoid potential problems before they start.
What can we understand about parents in Paragraph (5)?