Effective discipline for behavioral issues in children is a common parental challenge. Every parent needs a way to help their kids learn better self-management skills and help themselves cope with stressful situations. As a parent, you can use a variety of methods to help your children build coping and behavior management skills for the classroom and at home.
Understand Inappropriate Behaviors
Coach your child by helping them break negative behaviors and find replacement behaviors for the ones that do need to be replaced. Once you have found the reason for a behavior, you can easily find a replacement action.When your child is trying to get your attention in an unproductive manner, you need to remove your attention (the positive consequence) and eye contact until the behavior improves.
Replace Poor Behavior Patterns
Find the functions of a behavior and you can guide your child toward a replacement behavior. Ask to see them do something else, such as dancing or singing, when the function is the need for attention. Then redirect them to the task at hand, such as doing homework. When a child is trying to escape a situation, consider offering the child a reward for staying in one place or completing their work.
A great example of a behavior issue involving sensory function is turning on and off lights. To counter that problem, ask the child to go inside or outside, or consider using child-proof light switches. Replacing an inappropriate behavior hinges on finding the function behind it and then replacing it with a behavior that has the same type of function, but with more appropriate results. When a child is guided in this way, they find ways to get the results they desire without acting out.
Allow Positive Expressions
Provide time and privacy for sensitive discussions with your child. Going through yoga poses and making up stories behind them, writing a letter to someone they miss, or drawing out and exploring the feelings they are experiencing are great examples of opportunities for your child to express themselves through art, play and movement exercises.
Let your children know that positive actions garner positive rewards, especially before going through situations that are difficult for them. Find rewards that the child truly enjoys, and associate consequences with negative behavior. If you know the patterns of your children's behaviors and what causes them to have inappropriate behaviors, you have tools to help you stop them before they start.
If your child struggles with difficult behavioral issues or has been diagnosed with a behavioral disorder, contact us online or find a center near you to learn more about how the Brain Balance Program can help.
Enjoy These Related Articles
Help for Behavioral Issues
Can Food Sensitivities Cause Behavioral Issues in Children?
Diet & Behavior: 3 Changes to Make Today
