Positive Behavior Strategies for Children

When children demonstrate inappropriate behavior, parents seek to change the behavior through disciplinary strategies. The disciplinary strategies chosen influence whether the behavior returns, and how children feel about themselves. Children and parents benefit when children receive an incentive to demonstrate positive behavior, and learn acceptable replacement behaviors for unacceptable actions. Parents can teach alternate behaviors after investigating the motivation for the problematic behavior.

  1. Teach Replacement Behaviors

    • Sometimes, the parental response to your child̵7;s inappropriate behavior seems automatic -- so much so, that the response sounds more like a reaction than a response. It̵7;s crucial for children to have an opportunity to learn an appropriate behavior to replace problematic ones. For example, a response to your child spilling a drink in your vehicle might consist of a reprimand or scolding about the new mess. However, if your child does not know how to place her drink securely into the cup holder, your reprimands and scolding will not prevent future spills.

    Investigate Your Child's Behavioral Motivation

    • Misbehavior represents communication from your child that something is not as it should be in her environment. Your child may possess a plethora of reasons for demonstrating negative behavior, according to an article on PBS Parents, so parents may need to spend some time performing a bit of parental detective work to uncover the problem. The payoff justifies the effort. When parents discover the child̵7;s motivation for negative behavior, the cause can be modified and a new behavior can be taught to replace the old one.

    Don't Mirror Your Child's Behavior

    • When your child̵7;s behavior appears out of control, remember that she needs to see and hear positive behavior from you to regain her composure and demonstrate an alternative behavior. Parents serve as powerful role models, and influence their child̵7;s behavioral choices. Responding with anger or yelling communicates that this behavior serves as an acceptable problem-solving strategy. Your calm response to your child̵7;s tantrum or tirade provides your child with a socially appropriate behavior option.

    Reward Positive Behavior With Positive Attention

    • Your child responds to positive attention from parents and caregivers because she wants to please you. Monitor your child for appropriate behavior, and then reward her with positive attention. Positive attention includes sincere praise, smiles, hugs and kisses, and use your knowledge about your child̵7;s preferences to determine what she likes most. This strategy serves a dual purpose, because you increase the likelihood that the appropriate behavior will reoccur through the power of reward, and then validate that positive behavioral choices exist for your child.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • Essential Rules of Parenting: How to Stay Sane
      Your sanity isnt only important because you are important, but also because your children need sane parents. And there are just a few Rules that youll find, after you get the hang of them, help you keep your head when your children are crying theirs
    • How to Discipline a Child for Bad Language
      Children are exposed to bad language and curse words in the home, at school and through the television as these slang terms have become an everyday part of the American lexicon. At some point these expletives are going to make their way into your chi
    • Conflicting Parenting Styles
      Q My eight-year-old son made a new friend this past school year who I dont approve of. This friend rarely takes a bath or changes his clothing. He even engages in dangerous activities, such as sending bricks down slides, in full view of his parents,