Behavior/ Home Teaching Activities
Behavior/ Home Teaching Activities0 Comment

Help Managing Behaviors

Here are some helpful tips that I have gathered from a variety of different sources for managing behaviors.

Transitions


Transitions can be difficult for childrem, especially if they are going from a preferred activity like playing to a non-preferred activity like work time. To help these transitions go a little smoother make sure you are consistent. Here are a few other tips.

  • Warnings (“In one minute we are going to clean up”).
  • Use a timer to help your child visually see how much longer they have until they need to go to the next activity.
  • Be consistent and make sure you follow through. If you tell your child that you are going to work in 3 minutes, even if your child is not happy about it, it is important that you transition to work. Being consistent and following through on these directions is important so that your child will listen to you in the future.
  • Reinforcement – This is so important. If your child transitions when you ask them to make sure you give them lots of praise. Consider using a token board, sticker chart or first/then system.

Reinforcement

Reinforcement is when you give your child something they like in order to help encourage positive behaviors in the future.

  • Make sure you are using a positive encouraging tone when you are praising your child
  • Be specific in your praise so your child knows that they did well (“Great job putting away your toys”)
  • Positive reinforcement is better than correction or punishment
  • Let your child choose a reinforcer or choose something you know they really like. If they don’t want it, it may not be motivating enough, try something different.

Directions

Make sure your child knows that you are giving them a direction or telling them what to do. They have to know that it is not a choice. For example, if say, “Can you pick up your toys?”, that is a question not a direction.

  • Choice- “Do you want to come sit down?” This is a question, it is giving a child a choice. No, may be your child’s answer to that question.
  • Direction – “Sit down”.

If it is not a choice, present it as a direction. Always follow through after giving a direction, as well. If your child follows the direction give lots of praise and reinforcement. If they don’t follow directions prompt them (help them do it).

Inappropriate Behaviors

  • . Ignore the behavior completely if it does not hurt anyone and if the child re-engages afterwards
  • Redirect to the task at hand without acknowledging the inappropriate behavior
  • Only reprimand if the behavior was hurting someone or destroying something. Certainly do not reprimand if the child is laughing at you (sure way to know they are enjoying your frustration)
  • Rephrase the statement to be positive (e.g., instead of, “Stop it! No!” say, “Hands down.”)
  • If giving a verbal direction after an inappropriate behavior, use a calm, neutral tone of voice with minimal eye contact and facial expression (again, if the child is enjoying the attention, the higher ground is to walk away for a minute)
  • Lavish praise and love every time your child does something “right”

Non-compliance

The standard way to work with a child who is being “noncompliant” is to send the message, “I will not give you attention until you do what I say,” by doing the following:

  • Stay in close enough proximity to the child for him/her to know you are addressing him/her
  • Avoid excessive attention (including eye contact and facial expressions)
  • Calmly repeat ONE direction that is brief and clear in a calm, neutral tone of voice
  • Count to 15 in your head and repeat the SAME direction in the same manner until some form of compliance
  • Remind the child what wonderful things will happen after this is done
  • Show the token board or reward
  • Behavioral momentum: build compliance by engaging the student in preferred/previously mastered tasks/demands at a rapid pace and give the ultimate direction after several successful trials

Final tips

  • Avoid power struggles with the child (inappropriate attention-seeking behavior that should NOT be reinforced with any attention from us)
  • You may maintain control of the situation by DISengaging. If there’s a legitimate issue being expressed by the child, actually consider whether they can have what they want
  • Mind your tone of voice—our children imitate and pick up on every message we send, verbal and nonverbal.
  • Be patient: always give the child an opportunity, however brief, to respond independently
  • STAY POSITIVE. BE LOVING. ENJOY THE CHILD REGARDLESS OF THE BEHAVIOR.