Managing Difficult Behaviour

Responding positively to the challenging behavior of children is one of the most difficult tasks a parent faces. Ask yourself, What are my long term goals for my children?, to develop responsibility for their behaviour.

Remember:

• Change in a child’s behavior often occurs after there is a change in the parent’s behavior or actions.

• Positive attitudes on the part of parents (encouragement, understanding, respect, etc.) are the basis for developing desirable behavior in children.

• Children are social beings. (they need to feel important, they need to feel they belong, and they need to feel they are significant)

• Children are decision makers. (allow them to make choices, this is how they learn)

• Power struggles are destructive for both parent and child.

• Challenging behavior or misbehavior is often related to where a child is at developmentally. Recognizing this is an important part of understanding and responding to challenging behavior.

• Remember to laugh with your children!