Managing Challenging Behaviours in Children
The principles described below relate to using of reward charts, these methods should in conjunction with the practice of Ignoring
- All of the above has to be negotiated and
mutually agreed between parent/s and child.
- Points/items on wish-list/things to do or not
do that are mentioned above are only examples. Parents will need to work
out the same for their child based on their child’s need.
- In general, it helps to explain to the child
that life is about give and take. One has to do something to get
something. This is true for all businesses/industries as most ask
employees to achieve targets. On getting to the targets one gets paid a
salary/bonuses, if not, you may get sacked.
- Some items on wish list can be costly. As a
general rule, it will be useful to think in terms of how reward points for
supermarkets such as Tesco work. To get vouchers worth £10, you need 1000
points. So to get something worth £20, a child has to accumulate 2000
points. This may seem too much for the child. You may hence want to be
flexible and at times allow them to have a particular item for less. Also,
demonstrate to the child that though 2000 pints seem a lot, she/he
could get there quickly as up to 100 points (based on above example) could
be earned per day if they chose to. Remind the child that
to get costlier things they may want to use points more carefully (i.e.
save some).
- Be creative – you can set weekly targets or
give surprise bonus points (50-100) for doing very well in a given week.
- Keep an A4 diary to maintain weekly charts
records
- Get school involved if need be (so the child
can earn separate points at school as well).
- Bring charts for follow up visits to the
clinic.
- For younger children, use stars instead of
coins or bring plastic coins and a piggy bank (helps inculcate a habit of
saving).
- Enter points earned per day at the end of each
day and make yourselves available ½ - 1 hour each weekend to sit with the
child and discuss chart and what they wish to do with the points. However,
younger children may need immediate gratification and might not be able to
wait for the goodies until the end of the week.
- Remember to praise generously for all positive
behaviours.
- Ignore negative behaviours of the child.
Shouting, screaming etc are forms of negative attention and the child
could learn to seek it if it does not get enough of positive attention.
Download Free - sample and blank reward programme sheets for children from the links below.
