Praise
It is natural for us to pay attention to behaviors that are irritating, worrisome, or make us want to disappear from embarrassment. Usually, when our child is calm, quiet, and self-entertained, we breathe a sigh of relief. However, this inadvertently teaches our child that they can get our attention by being disruptive. The good news is that we can reverse this pattern by paying attention to our child’s positive behaviors.
To praise positive behaviors:
Try praising something positive that your child is doing each morning and evening (for example, “Good job sharing with your sibling”). We are used to noticing disruptive behaviors, so praising your child’s positive behaviors will take some practice and patience – but will ultimately benefit both you and your child.
This tip came directly from the free, online Everyday Parenting program created by parenting expert, Dr. Kazdin.
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