17 Sep Three Ways to Foster Good Behavior in Children

Ali Koplan, Social Media Marketing Intern

1. Be Clear About the Rules: Make sure that your kids are aware of the rules and remind them of the rules often. If your rules are not talked about or hard to understand, children will have a hard time following them.
   
   Tip: Have you and your children decorate a rules poster together. Not only will they have a chance to create a work of art you can make sure they understand the rules of the house.
2. Reward Good Behavior: Avoid tantrum-filled trips to the store and the battles over homework by having a prize jar. Tell your child that if they do a certain task they are able to pick a prize. For example: “If you clean up your toys, you can pick a prize.”
   
   Tip: Fill your prize jar with healthy snacks and small toys.

Have a timeout or a time-in: A timeout is a tried and true punishment. Have a system where the child will receive a warning before they are subject to a time-out. The timeout can be a consistent amount of time every time or the time could vary by the wrongdoing that the child did. A time is a time for you to help the child reflect on his or her actions. This could be for the same amount of time as a time out and for the same reasons, but an adult will help the child understand what he or she did wrong and how they could do better.

Tip: Have a designated area for time-outs. Sending a child to his or her room can allow them more freedom to play rather than reflect on their actions.