skills4teaching

Consistency is key when it comes to teaching children. With consistency, you must be VERY patient. Children need consistency in their lives. They need the rules and guidelines you set for them to remain consistent,  as well as their daily schedules. Children need to know what’s going to happen next. Consistency helps children to feel safe, secure and prepared in their enviroment. Stay consistent, don’t give in one time and then try to reinforce the rule again, are you kidding, your child will take you as a joke!

Give them choices: Yes that’s right “You can either take a nap or read a book quietly, those are your choices.” When you give them choices it makes them feel independent and responsible.

You as the parent need to model good behavior: If he or she says “NO!, I don’t want to.”
For example: putting away toys: You could say: “Here, I can help you.” (Maybe it is ALOT of toys to put away and he/she is overwhelmed..plus you are modeling good behavior.) I call it the “Helping Technique.” It really does work. 

Whatever you do, PLEASE do NOT yell, scream or hit. It will get you absolutely no where-I dont care how you were raised. Instead of losing your cool, get down to your child’s level, make eye contact and in a FIRM voice say “That is NOT okay.” 

Example: Michael hit Max

Teacher: (in an empathetic/caring voice)”Max,That must have really hurt, turn and look at Michael, tell him how that made you feel”

Max: “That really HURT!” then you could say “He said that really hurt him, so please don’t hurt my friends, that is not okay.”

Michael: “Ok”

 It ((acknowledges)) the hurt child’s feelings and helps him to express his feelings …and…. the other child learns it’s not okay to hit and how it effects his friends.

Your child WILL learn that he gets more praise and attention with good behavior….. and negative behavior gains him nothing! So you must always stay consistent when enforcing the rules.

Whatever you do, no matter how loud they’re screaming and kicking and how long they do it for…ignore it. Ignore the negative behavior. The more attention you give to it, the worse it gets and the harder it is for you.

YOU are your child’s NUMBER 1 ROLE MODEL….so when you get heated scream your head off and/or hit…you are showing him it is okay to do those things…he/she will only feed off your reaction. Your child need’s a positive role model not someone to be scared of.

Every chance you get PRAISE your child for good behavior, through high 5’s, a great big hug, A”Great job” “Im so proud of you, you really worked hard today!” It really makes them feel good about themselves……

With LOTS of patience and consistency with rules and guidelines, praise and choices,  these techniques CAN work.
Children will test your limits, no doubt, but with consistency and patience it can be done!  

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