Disciplining Children With Behavior Problems: 5 Methods You Should Try
It is not surprising that parents of children with behavioral problems are very interested in discovering useful discipline techniques, since managing misbehaving children can be a real nightmare.
There is no single disciplinary strategy that works for all children because all children have different temperaments and personalities. So stopping children’s misbehavior boils down to trying a variety of discipline methods until you find one that works effectively with your particular child.
Here are five discipline methods you can try with your child that will hopefully put a quick stop to bad behavior:
Prevent problems from happening
Taking a preventative discipline approach is a great way to prevent bad behaviors and problems from happening in the first place. Eliminate temptations that are too big for your child, such as putting markers or your makeup case out of your toddler’s reach if you don’t want them to use these items, or not having chips and candy in the house if they ignore your request. so they don’t eat these items before dinner. Set your child up for success and you’ll avoid a lot of bad behavior and you’ll avoid a lot of drama.
Offer your child choices
Whenever possible, give your child the opportunity to choose between two alternative options to give him some control over the situation. For example, if your child is reluctant to get dressed in the morning, giving them two outfits to choose from will take the focus off the power struggle over how to dress and dissolve the bad behavior. Allowing your child to feel that she has some control by giving her choices makes cooperation natural and easy.
1,2,3, Consequence
The 1,2,3, Consequence technique can be a very effective discipline strategy if used correctly and consistently. The key is that there has to be an “awkward” punishment delivered on 3 – EVERY TIME. Your son must be 100% sure that if he hasn’t done what you asked by the time you count to 3, the consequence will be fulfilled.
The consequence can be the same each time, like a time out. Or it could be a consequence related to the specific request you made, such as: “If you haven’t put away your toys by the time I count to 3, I’ll have to take them away for 1 week.”
If you use the 1,2,3, Consequence technique with absolute consistency, eventually all you have to do is lift 1 finger (anywhere, anytime) and your child will immediately stop what they are doing to avoid the consequence . Remember, consistency is the key to making this technical discipline work.
Object timeouts
A twist on the traditional concept of timeouts, the next time your kids fight over a toy, time out the toy instead of putting one or both children in timeout. They will begin to wait longingly for the toy until, inevitably, one of them loses interest and finds something else to play with.
Likewise, the next time your kids fight over TV shows or video games, put the TV or game console on timeout. Just turn the device off, then set a timer for 10 minutes and let your kids know they can’t turn it back on until the timer goes off. The good thing about this discipline strategy is that it stops bad behavior quickly and you don’t have to take sides.
I don’t understand
When your child speaks to you inappropriately, simply proclaim that you don’t understand. Look at them with a confused expression, like they’re speaking a foreign language, and simply say, “I can’t understand you when you talk like that.”
If your child is whining, do the same but say, “I don’t understand ‘whine.’ Can you speak English?” Then ignore your child until he speaks to you in a more appropriate manner. They will soon learn that speaking respectfully to you in a “normal” tone is the best way to get your attention and get a response from you.