Aggression? Not So Much Anymore!

 

Here are some little ideas if you have a child that displays aggressive behavior (see last post)

1. If transitioning from watching TV to taking a bath is difficult try setting a times, provide a warning, have a favorite toy your child can gain only when taking a bath.

2. If going to the grocery store creates problem behaviors try shortening up the trip to a few trips each week limiting the duration of time in the store.  Offer your child a preferred item during this trip.  One mother offered her child a wet wipe. He loved to wipe off the shopping cart as they went through the store.  This provided a fun activity and a distraction.

3. Provide warnings when activities are about to end or the child needs to transition from fun to something less fun – TV to taking a bath.

4. Provide a choice between two activities or items when you must denied the child – No you can not have the candy but I have a piece of gum for you or you can hold my keys.

Help your child transition, or invest in one of these!

Attention: The Good & The Bad

Catching kids being bad is easy!  Catching kids being good is much tougher.

Though catching a child being good is where the money is!

Let’s try  changing our focus knowing that our children are motivated by attention.

Attention functioning as reinforcement can increase desired or “good” behavior if more attention is given for the “good” behaviors and less attention is given for the “bad” behaviors.

Tip:

1. Pledge to compliment or acknowledge one desired behavior per half hour

DO NOT comment on the less desired/ “bad” behaviors.

Toilet Troubles: The Fear of the Seat

Trying to toilet train your child or student?

Often, we have a reinforcement system developed for when the child “goes” on the potty.

The big problem is you cannot get your child to sit on the toilet so you are unable to reinforce the use of the toilet!

The one place your child does not like to "go"

We need to:

–        Break the steps down

–         Reinforce those steps.

In this case, we should reinforce sitting on the toilet.

You have to sit before you can go, right?

Tip:

1. Use a highly motivating item and save this for sitting on the toilet.  The child should only have access to this item while sitting.

(I have had good success using a portable DVD player.  Many of our children enjoy certain TV shows or movies.  Purchase a DVD to be viewed only during sitting on the toilet.)

2.  If the child stands up, remove the reinforcing item. (Turn off the DVD player)

3.  Gradually increase the time your child will tolerate sitting on the toilet.

MORE TOILETING TIPS TO COME! (OR “GO”)

Is Santa Claus A Threat?

“The Easter Bunny is watching,” “I’ll have to tell Santa Claus,” or “When your father comes home…”

He's always watching...

Do you ever find yourself using these strategy to change your child’s behavior?

Threats RARELY work in modifying a child’s behavior.

THREATS: consequences that rarely manifest. Threats are ineffective in controlling a child’s behavior.

Consequences need to be immediate to be effective

Tip:

Stop

Redirect

Reinforce

1. Stop the threats and deal with the behavior immediately.  You could do this by firmly re-directing the child to an appropriate behavior – “You may sit over here and look at this book.” or “Go play with your toys in the other room.”
2. When attention is the child’s motivation, you may have to walk away or remove the child from your presence.
3. Once the child is engaged in appropriate behavior, take the opportunity to praise and provide attention for good behavior.