GOOD BEHAVIOR

http://www.parentingme.com/guidebeh.htm

Encouraging Good Behaviors

You want me to behave well, and as my parent, one of your major roles can be to encourage good behaviors. This involves teaching me new behaviors, increasing some behaviors, and maintaining other behaviors. You can use positive reinforcement to accomplish all of this. Positive reinforcement should always be the first method you use when you are trying to encourage good behaviors. Positive reinforcers can include expressions (smiling, winking, clapping), proximity (sitting next to me, standing near me, holding me on your lap), contact (hugging, holding hands, giving a high five), privileges (getting to go somewhere, watching a video, blowing bubbles), and comments ("I like the way you are sitting.", "Thank you for coming so fast when I called you." "Hip, hip, hooray! Your underwear is dry!"). Positive reinforcers can also be tangible (hand stamps, stickers, toys). To keep reinforcers desirable, vary the reinforcers you use with me.

The timing of reinforcement is also important. I do best when I receive reinforcement immediately after the desired behavior. When you have to delay reinforcement, describe the past good behavior when you provide the reinforcement. If I am two and a half to three years of age, you can also use sticker paths and token systems:

Sticker Path. To make a sticker path, draw a row of connecting squares (like a sidewalk) on a piece of paper. Make each square large enough for a sticker to fit inside. Draw or paste a picture of a reward at the end of the sidewalk. Tell me what behavior earns a sticker, how many stickers I must earn to get the reward, and what reward I am working toward. Each time I do the desired behavior, together, we can put a sticker in a square. When each square has a sticker, I get the reward.

Token System. Give me a small token immediately following a desired behavior. After I collect a predetermined number of tokens, I turn the tokens in for something special. Almost anything can serve as a token as long as it is safe, easy to handle, and durable.