Challenging behaviors exist in children at various stages in their lives. Learning how to deal with the difficult behaviors takes practice and patience on the part of the parents. A child's behavior often takes time to change, especially if the negative behavior occurs for a long time before it is addressed.
Identify Cause
Identifying the cause of the negative behavior gives you a guide in changing the behavior. The National Association for the Education of Young Children offers five explanations for a child's behavior. Entering a new developmental stage, individual or temperament reasons, the child's environment, unfamiliarity with a concept and emotional needs that aren't met fall on the list. Some of the causes lend themselves well to resolution by the parent. For example, if your child is acting out at day care because the environment doesn't suit his personality, you might switch him to a different care provider.
Set Realistic Goals
Each child develops differently, making it important to set realistic and individualized goals based on your child. Base the goals on your child's skills, temperament and any physical or emotional limitations rather than basing them on other children his age. If your child exhibits several behaviors you wish to change, prioritize the behaviors. The University of Michigan Health System recommends choosing one or two behaviors at a time rather than trying to change everything at once.
Give Clear Expectations And Consequences
You know what behaviors you expect, but your child won't know unless you clearly express them to her. Keep the expectations clear and simple with reasoning behind them. For example, if you're trying to teach your child not to run away from you in public, explain that she may get hurt or lost by separating herself from you. Defining the consequences ahead of time may your child adhere to the expectations.
Use Positive Reinforcement
Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of the behavior, try positive reinforcement when the child behaves appropriately. The University of Michigan Health System recommends praising your child's positive behaviors with specific statements. Another way to create a more positive environment for changing your child's behavior is to redirect his behaviors. If he is throwing a ball in the house near breakable items, take him outside where he can freely throw the ball.
Be Consistent
Consistency in working on changing the behavior teaches your child that she can't get away with misbehaving. The Grey Bruce Health Unit website recommends being consistent while staying flexible. If a particular discipline method isn't working with the child, try something different without letting her get away with an inappropriate behavior.
