When it comes to knowing how to improve child behaviour, parents are often at a loss as to where to start. This article breaks it down & explains it more easily.
1). Behaviour Analysts Highlight The Very First Thing That Parents Need To Realise, Is That When It Comes To Parenting & Improving Your Child’s Behaviour, The Change Starts With You – Parents Often Feel That Their Child “Needs Fixed”, But In Fact, The Parent Needs To Change How They Are Responding To The Child’s Behaviour In Order To See The Changes They Want To See.
2). Parents Need To Be Fully Ready To Make The Changes They Need To Make In Order To Effectively Address The Behaviour Challenges – Sometimes, Parents Want The Changes Without Having To Put In The Effort. Being Fully Committed To Implementing The Changes Is Vital.
3). Accepting That There Is No Quick Fix Is Something That Behaviour Therapists Underline That Parents Need To Come To Terms With – People Tend To Want Things Now & Don’t Like To Wait. However, It Is Important For Parents To Realise This Is A Process That Takes Time, But With The Right Commitment To It, They Will See The Desired Changes.
4). Realising That Things Get Tougher Before They Get Easier – For Example, Your Child’s Tantrums May Get Longer & More Challenging As They Try To Test You When You Implement Your New Strategies, But By Understanding Why The Behaviour Has Escalated & By Being Consistent In Your Strategies, Parents Can Successfully Overcome This.
5). Consult With A Behaviour Analyst – Behaviour Analysts Are Experts In The Field Of Behaviour Analysis, & So They Are The Go-To People In Order To Get The Best Possible Advice In Terms Of Behaviour.
6). Be Honest About Where Things Are At – In Terms Of What The Behaviours Are, For Example, You Having Difficulty Managing Anger When Faced With Your Child’s Behaviour, Difficulty In Being Consistent With How You Respond To The Behaviour, Etc.
7). Start With What Is Going To Make The Most Significant Change To Your Child’s Behaviour, & Go From There – For Example, If Your Child’s Relationships With Their Siblings Is Being Impacted Due To Negative Behaviours Stemming From Sibling Rivalry, Etc., Then By Working On This, This Allows For The Child To Have A Much Better Relationship With Their Siblings, Which Is A Very Important & Significant Thing For All Involved.
8). Follow The Strategies As Advised – Child Therapists Point Out That The Advice & Strategies Are Only As Good As The Implementation Of Them. If They Are Well Implemented, The Results Will Be Good. However, If They Are Not Implemented As Advised, The Same Results Are Unlikely To Be Achieved.
9). Make Sure That Everyone Is Using The Same Approach At Home, For Example, Mum, Dad, Etc. – For Example, If Mum Implements The Strategy Of Minimising Attention Surrounding Negative Behaviour, But Dad Doesn’t, Then There Is A Higher Chance, That These Negative Behaviours Will Reduce Around Mum, But There Be An Increase In Attention-Seeking Behaviours Around Dad, As This Is Who They Are Being Rewarded With Attention For Their Negative Behaviour.
10). Consistency In Your Approach Is Key – The Vital Component In Change Is Consistency, So It Is Important To Keep This At The Back Of Your Mind At All Times When Looking To Improve Child Behaviour.
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