After reading the Internet website Cornerstoneforparents.com and a published article titled “Revenge-Seeking Behavior in Children,” my thoughts went directly to our federal government and those who are causing a mockery of our nation.

The article talks about how parents can address attention-seeking and controlling behaviors in their children. The actions to watch for are listed below.

• Saying hurtful things to others.

• Mean-spiritedness.

• Extreme reactions to accidents against their person.

• Being unappreciative.

• Focus on wanting to get even.

Hold it: Am I reading an article on “How not to be a politician?” Or “How to divide a nation?”

Heck, we might be better off electing 10-12-year-old kids into the office of POTUS and House of Representatives speaker, rather than what we have now, if this is the case. At least they can learn to not be this way.

The past few months have been a rollercoaster ride of attacks and insinuations between conservatives and liberals.

President Trump: “Don’t get on that plane in the middle of a governmental shutdown!”

Speaker Pelosi: “You can’t come to the State of the Union next week!”

President Trump: “I’m coming anyway! So there!”

Speaker Pelosi: “We have canceled the State of the Union scheduled for next week!”

Sounds silly, doesn’t it? Unfortunately our nation is so divided that instead of seeing this as silly we begin to throw support across social media for silly individuals that wouldn’t spit in a bucket for us.

And how does this help our nation? It doesn’t.

Liberals continue to seek ways to impeach a president they don’t like and conservatives continue to fight back with every breath.

Again, how does this help? It doesn’t.

To help correct behavioral issues in children, parents need to understand it. Hmmm, maybe that’s what we as a nation need as well. Understand why our elected leaders act the way they do.

What does the behavior tell you? This type of behavior is a sure sign that your child feels that he is of little worth or value in the world.  He sees the world as hostile and himself as a victim of that hostility. To cope with such feelings, he lashes out and gives those around him a “taste of his own medicine.”

How to correct revenge-seeking behavior?  The most important corrective action you can take to help a child who misbehaves out of revenge is to create, build and maintain a positive, open relationship. Empathetic listening is one way you can help facilitate such a relationship. Listen without jumping in with a quick fix.

Try to see them as reflective of the true struggles in his heart. Use the pain and hurt you feel as means to understanding the pain and hurt he is feeling. Avoid punishments that are retaliatory in nature and focus on making amends. Spending quality time with a revenge-oriented child (even if they reject or resist your advances) is very important. Shutting them out because of their behaviors will only confirm what they feel about themselves.

Thank you, Laura Kuehn, a licensed clinical social worker specializing in children and families, who published this report on revenge-seeking behavior in children. You may have just solved all our political issues without knowing it.

Rich Macke is publisher of The Port Arthur News.