It’s hard enough to get kids to STOP doing things they shouldn’t be, but getting them to START doing good things can be even tougher.
Today Dr. Phelan will be talking about how to encourage good behavior in kids and sharing specific strategies that you can implement at home.
In this video Dr. Phelan answers questions like:
- Why is getting kids to start doing good things so much harder than getting them to stop doing bad things?
- If you’re using the 1-2-3 Magic program, should you tackle start and stop behaviors at the same time?
- What is the most important thing that parents need to think about when it comes to getting kids to do the things they’re supposed to?
- Can you give us a quick rundown of some of the tactics parents can use?
- Is there anything that parents should NOT do?
The Problem With Good Behavior
Why is it so much easier to get kids to STOP doing naughty things than it is to get them to START doing the things we want them to do, like going to bed, getting up and out in the morning, or doing their homework?
Dr. Phelan explains that it's a problem of time and motivation. It takes only a few second for a child to STOP a behavior, but in order to get their homework done, they may need to focus for 20, 30, or 40 minutes, AND they have to have the motivation to start.
Strategies For Getting Good Behavior
When working on a new, positive behavior with kids, there are several strategies you can you to help keep them on track and get them to do the things they should be doing. Charting and kitchen timers are both visual tools that have hte child working against the clock or the chart, rather than you! Positive reinforcement is also extremely powerful and in a lot of cases isn't used as much as it could be.
The most important thing to remember is that establishing a routine is extremely important. Kids learn to do something in the same time, same place, and same way. It will cut down on discipline challenges and empower kids to complete something on their own. Once a child learns a routine, they often being doing it automatically, sometimes without any reminders!
Hopefully this advice on encouraging good behavior is helpful! If you need more help with challenges like these, Part VI in 1-2-3 Magic is a great resource. We also have an on-demand seminar on Encouraging Good Behavior that you can watch and start using right away.