Classroom Strategies That Can Be Easily Used At HOME!!
1. Praise positive behavior! Focus on providing positive feedback to your child when he/she is doing something good! This will encourage your child and their siblings to demonstrate desired behavior in attempts to receive positive feedback.
2. Be clear on your rules at home. A classroom has rules, and so should your home. Children do best when provided with structure and clear boundaries. A visual that reminds your child of "home rules" will offer that consistency! Some rules could include: Have good listening, use kind words, take turns, and clean up after yourself! Keep the wording simple and kid-friendly when developing your rules for home, and parents should follow the rules too for good modeling!
3. Provide some type of reward. We want our children to be internally motivated to do good, but sometimes it helps to encourage this with a reward. Have a good plan that is consistent and matches the task that is being rewarded. "Flying by the seat of your pants" is not a good, long term plan when using rewards to encourage desired behaviors. Consider family activities as rewards as these are often the most preferred rewards and have more therapeutic value, in place of a snack or toy.
4. Be prepared for transitions and outings that may amplify negative behavior in your child. Stay on step ahead in your thinking and encourage your child to be a "helper" during these times with specific tasks assigned.
5. Silence has power. When your child is demonstrating negative behavior, use a calm and quiet voice. Your child will eventually match your emotions and tone. Consider changing the environment (eg. lights out, heavy blanket, safe and quiet environment) if the behavior escalates to a temper tantrum that is not resolving. Limit how much you speak during these times.
