Focus on only one or two of your child's most troublesome behavioral issues. The University of Michigan Health System recommends focusing on changing behaviors that are dangerous or destructive to you or the child. Making too many changes at once will only confuse the child, thus making the whole process counterproductive.
Give your child choices as opposed to telling her what to do or how things are going to be. Some children respond negatively to being given orders all day long. Some behavior problems can simply be solved by asking children if they want to eat eggs or pancakes for breakfast, or if they want to play with a toy or watch a movie.
Set rules for your child and enforce them. Discuss why having rules is important. Make sure your child knows the consequences of breaking the rules, and stick to the punishments you impose. Consequences are only effective if they happen right away and are consistently enforced.
Ensure your child has proper outlets to expel his creative and physical energy. Many behavioral issues are the result of a bored or hyper child and can be solved by redirecting the child, states the University of Michigan Health System. If a child wants to draw on himself or the floor, give him a large sheet of paper on an easel to draw on instead. Let a hyper child run around outside to safely burn off his energy instead of engaging in destructive behavior inside the home.
Ensure you're not perceiving something as a behavioral problem when in fact it's just a natural behavior for a child. Sometimes parents can mistake what they believe to be behavioral issues when, in fact, the behaviors are simply the result of a child's natural curiosity or instincts. If children are constantly breaking into cabinets and strewing the contents around the house, properly securing the cabinets with safe child locks will solve the problem.
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