PARENTING SKILLS
- First you work, then you play. - To teach a child to carry out his/her responsibilities, require the less preferred activity to come before a more preferred activity. Activities a child likes to do can be used to REINFORCE doing things a child cares less about. Activities can be used as reinforcers. The following are examples of Grandma's Rule: "You can play ball when you finish your homework." "When everybody is seated at the table and quiet, father will say Grace and we can eat." "Eat your vegetables and then you can have some pie." "When your room is picked up, I've got a special treat for you." "Take your bath and then you can have some cookies and milk." "You can go out and play after you take out the trash." The following are NOT examples of Grandma's Rule: "You can go and play if you'll do your homework later." "Sure, Mom." "You can go to the movies tonight, if you'll clean your room tomorrow."![]()
1. Follow responses you wish to strengthen with reinforcing events. 2. Follow responses you wish to weaken punishing events. 3. Withholding all forms of reinforcement for a specified time period is a useful form of punishment. 4. Responses can be weakened by no longer reinforcing them. CAUTIONARY NOTE: Generally avoid the use of punishment. Problems can be created when punishment is used in the wrong way. We shall learn more about effective punishment later. For now, focus on the use of rewards to influence your child.![]()
1. CLEAR SIGNALS -Make your rules clear so that your child knows what is expected of him/her. Repeat rules as necessary. 2. IGNORE DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIORS -
Do not attend to behaviors you wish to weaken. Get involved with other children showing behaviors you wish to strengthen. Praise a child showing behavior incompatible with disruptive behaviors. 3. PRAISE YOUR CHILD FOR IMPROVEMENT IN BEHAVIOR -
"Catch your child being good", rather than bad. Tell him/her what it is that you like that he/she is doing. Award privileges for showing good behavior.
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Definition: Discipline - Teaching and Training. Goals of Discipline: 1. To encourage appropriate behavior. 2. To promote harmony among people. 3. To help prevent problems from arising as the child grows older. 4. To instill a lifelong sense of self-discipline. Discipline is an ongoing process: 1. It begins early in the child's life. 2. It involves adaptation as the child matures. 3. It continues until the child is an adult, and then goes on as self-discipline.![]()
Discilpine helps children: 1. Develop Self-control 2. Respect Others' Rights 3. Express Emotions Appropriately 4. Build Self-esteem 5. Become Self-reliant 6. Develop Orderliness1997
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: O'DOCHARTAIGH ASSOCIATES P.O. BOX 786 LARAMIE, WY 82073-0786 EMAIL: highplains140@usa.net
"The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything." - Theodore Roosevelt