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LOVE N LEARN AT HOME
- Give child goals and expectations to meet and follow; Set a daily routine and rituals
- Have them take ownership for their own belongings (Clean up toys, help put away clothes & make their bed)
- Be consistent and firm
- Build trust
- Let them fail and learn from it
- Help them to succeed (in what THEY enjoy)
- Get them involved in activities
- Spend quality time with them
- Show them love and care
- Treat them with respect ("Give it to earn it" motto)
- Establish rules and redirect behavior to appropriate one you would like child to follow
- Remind them of their choices
- Re-visit rules and expectations when needed
- Give warnings, but no more than one
- Time-out for negative choices: "Thinking Chair" is okay for 1 minute per age of the child
- Explain what it is you want them to do instead of what you do not want them to do
- Use positive directional words to express needs ("I need you to" "Look at me so I know you're listening" "I want you to walk")
- Reinforce natural consequences ("If you do not eat your lunch, you will not get any snacks later" "If you throw your toys, I will have to take them away"
- Do not "baby talk" your preschoolers. They are "miniature adults." Talk to them with clear, short phrases so they take you seriously.
- Teach them responsibility by being responsible; giving them easy job tasks and chores.
- Teach them manners and morals.
- Have them help others often.
- Take them places with other kids around to develop social skills.
- Talk about their feelings with them.
- Show patience to teach patience; take time to listen and time to talk.
- Positive and Negative Reinforcement (see boxes to the right)
Positive Reinforcement
Giving the child positive compliments, praise, rewards, and extra incentives for doing the right thing.
- Have a sticker reward chart
- Redirection of choices using what it is you WANT the child to do, instead of "don't"
- Cheers and praise
- If you do this....then you can do this....
- Have a "good choice" journal where you get to visit it each night to talk about all of the good choices that were made for the day.
- Chores with allowances; Teach child to earn things they want.
Negative Reinforcement
Having consequences related to actions, punishment that is age-appropriate and logical for the behavior, and verbal redirection for making the wrong choices.
- "Thinking Time" 1 minute per age of child
- Taking away something of value to them (i.e. toys for throwing them)
- Discussions of what actions are wrong, and ways to fix them
- Natural Consequences (i.e. If the child spills their drink on purpose, they have to clean it up)
Behavioral Management Tips
