In special education we always strive to use positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement changes or develops the behaviours of our students. At school the biggest advantage we have is consistency. We are always practising the skills necessary to recognize, respond to, and reinforce, the behaviours that we want to see repeated.
So, can the positive reinforcement of behaviours work just as well at home as it does in the classroom? Yes! We believe that with just a little bit of guidance and encouragement given to parents, positive reinforcement will work wonders at home.
Unfortunately, “good” behaviour can often be ignored at home because it doesn’t cause a stir in the household like “bad” behaviour does. Parents often reprimand what displeases them much more than they point out the things that they like. Although the concept of positive reinforcement is familiar to most parents, it is not used as often as it should be. By mastering the use of positive reinforcement with your child, you will begin to see amazing improvements in behaviour.
The way positive reinforcement is carried out is more important than the amount. – B. F. Skinner
Here is a list of tips for using positive reinforcement in your home.
- Set clear expectations and always follow through on them. Even if a lot of encouragement and adult help is required, that’s okay. For example, if you expect the playdough to be tidied up when play is finished, make sure your child knows this before you begin. Say, “We are going to have so much fun with this playdough, and when we’re done we can work together to tidy it up.”
- Guide your child’s attention away from potentially negative situations. Sometimes it’s more effective to simply distract or divert your child away from things like touching something they’re not supposed to or a budding conflict with a sibling.
- Take the time to explain the reasons why you are asking your child to do (or not do) something. “Because I told you to” should be erased from the library of things we say to our children. It’s okay for us to briefly explain the reasoning behind things, it teaches our children to develop respect for others.
- Try to keep instructions clear and simple. Often when a young child has behaved in a particular way or refused to carry out an instruction it is because of a lack of understanding. Do not assume disobedience.
- Really think about your face and your voice. You may not realize it, but you have the power to be one of, if not, the most effective positive reinforcement strategy available. Use a big smile, a tight hug, or words of praise to show your child how pleased you are when they are doing what is expected..
- Look, watch, observe! Make an effort to catch your child doing what they should and then reinforce it!
- Use a reward system, such as a reward board. Using a concrete tool or strategy is a great way to hold both you and your child accountable. Ignoring unwanted behaviour and focusing your attention on the positive is easier when a specific behaviour is targeted. A reward board is a simple version of a token economy system. Token economy systems are highly effective tools that can be easily implemented at home. They aim to provide positive reinforcement for appropriate behaviour, while minimizing challenging behaviour.
Remember… recognize, respond to, reinforce! You’ve got this.
Being a parent is hard. Our goal at socialskilled is to make it a little easier and we hope this blog has helped in some small way. We are so happy that you stopped by and would love to hear from you. Send us your questions or suggestions through our website or socials. We are in this together.
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
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