It is important to let your child know when they have behaved well. Giving positive attention for good behavior is a great way to teach a child which behavior you like and help to continue those positive behaviors. What You Will Need
Small rewards, like a favorite snack, TV show, screen time, stickers, a favorite toy.
What to Do
At first, try to catch your child being good randomly, or at least one time every 15 minutes. Make eye contact. Speak with excitement. Be specific about the behavior you like. Examples: “I love how you asked for a drink of water,” or “You did a great job picking up all of your toys.” Give attention right after the behavior you liked. Do not give attention right after a behavior you did NOT like. Your child should have positive behavior for at least 30 seconds without the negative behavior before you give them attention. Give the type of attention your child enjoys. If your child does not like kisses, then give a hug or a high five instead. Give positive attention to even small improvements. For example: “That was great throwing your trash away,” or “You did a nice job walking into the store today.” Identify behaviors that cannot occur at the same time. For example, instead of punching their sibling, they could use Play-Doh® or speak quietly instead of screaming or whining.
If you have any questions, ask your child’s health care provider. Behavior Support: Catching Your Child Being Good (PDF) HH-IV-188 ©2017, Revised 2021, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
It is important to let your child know when they have behaved well. Giving positive attention for good behavior is a great way to teach a child which behavior you like and help to continue those positive behaviors. What You Will Need
Small rewards, like a favorite snack, TV show, screen time, stickers, a favorite toy.
What to Do
At first, try to catch your child being good randomly, or at least one time every 15 minutes. Make eye contact. Speak with excitement. Be specific about the behavior you like. Examples: “I love how you asked for a drink of water,” or “You did a great job picking up all of your toys.” Give attention right after the behavior you liked. Do not give attention right after a behavior you did NOT like. Your child should have positive behavior for at least 30 seconds without the negative behavior before you give them attention. Give the type of attention your child enjoys. If your child does not like kisses, then give a hug or a high five instead. Give positive attention to even small improvements. For example: “That was great throwing your trash away,” or “You did a nice job walking into the store today.” Identify behaviors that cannot occur at the same time. For example, instead of punching their sibling, they could use Play-Doh® or speak quietly instead of screaming or whining.
If you have any questions, ask your child’s health care provider. Behavior Support: Catching Your Child Being Good (PDF) HH-IV-188 ©2017, Revised 2021, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
It is important to let your child know when they have behaved well. Giving positive attention for good behavior is a great way to teach a child which behavior you like and help to continue those positive behaviors. What You Will Need
Small rewards, like a favorite snack, TV show, screen time, stickers, a favorite toy.
What to Do
At first, try to catch your child being good randomly, or at least one time every 15 minutes. Make eye contact. Speak with excitement. Be specific about the behavior you like. Examples: “I love how you asked for a drink of water,” or “You did a great job picking up all of your toys.” Give attention right after the behavior you liked. Do not give attention right after a behavior you did NOT like. Your child should have positive behavior for at least 30 seconds without the negative behavior before you give them attention. Give the type of attention your child enjoys. If your child does not like kisses, then give a hug or a high five instead. Give positive attention to even small improvements. For example: “That was great throwing your trash away,” or “You did a nice job walking into the store today.” Identify behaviors that cannot occur at the same time. For example, instead of punching their sibling, they could use Play-Doh® or speak quietly instead of screaming or whining.
If you have any questions, ask your child’s health care provider. Behavior Support: Catching Your Child Being Good (PDF) HH-IV-188 ©2017, Revised 2021, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
It is important to let your child know when they have behaved well. Giving positive attention for good behavior is a great way to teach a child which behavior you like and help to continue those positive behaviors.
What You Will Need
- Small rewards, like a favorite snack, TV show, screen time, stickers, a favorite toy.
What to Do
- At first, try to catch your child being good randomly, or at least one time every 15 minutes.
- Make eye contact.
- Speak with excitement.
- Be specific about the behavior you like. Examples: “I love how you asked for a drink of water,” or “You did a great job picking up all of your toys.”
- Give attention right after the behavior you liked. Do not give attention right after a behavior you did NOT like. Your child should have positive behavior for at least 30 seconds without the negative behavior before you give them attention.
- Give the type of attention your child enjoys. If your child does not like kisses, then give a hug or a high five instead.
- Give positive attention to even small improvements. For example: “That was great throwing your trash away,” or “You did a nice job walking into the store today.”
- Identify behaviors that cannot occur at the same time. For example, instead of punching their sibling, they could use Play-Doh® or speak quietly instead of screaming or whining.
If you have any questions, ask your child’s health care provider.
Behavior Support: Catching Your Child Being Good (PDF)
HH-IV-188 ©2017, Revised 2021, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
