Be creative in preventing or responding to unacceptable behavior

What works for one child may not work for another. Respond to your child’s behavior problems in a variety of ways, but always with love. Each situation may require a different approach. Take Care of Yourself. Take time to pay attention to your own mental, physical, and emotional needs. In the long run, you’ll be a better parent.

Parenting tips

Consider rules as tools that provide predictability, consistency, and stability for children.
Help your child plan for changes.
Catch your children being good and tell them how it affects others.
Don’t reinforce unacceptable behaviors and even try ignoring them sometimes.
Provide dependable, predictable routines.
Set limits on the use of space, time, objects, and activities.
Try to understand what your children are communicating to you even when their behavior is unacceptable.
Encourage exploration and curiosity, but keep your child safe.
Distract and redirect your children’s attention when they are doing something you don’t like. Accept that caring for young children can be draining, physically and emotionally.
Take a physical, emotional, and mental “time out.”
Reach out and get some help from family, friends, and professionals when you feel overwhelmed.
Realize that there is no such thing as “a perfect parent,” that it’s okay to make mistakes, and that child rearing is extremely complicated and challenging.
Pursue hobbies, interests, and outside activities to energize and refresh yourself.
Try not to make “child-talk” the center of every conversation you have with your partnering parent or other adults.
Celebrate your successes.

Activities

Try to avoid unnecessary conflicts.
Avoid labeling your child—label behaviors instead.
Do not hit, shake, or verbally abuse your child.
Stop unacceptable behavior as soon as it starts with explanations and consequences.
Redirect negative behavior.
Take away favorite privileges if the behavior does not stop.
Sometimes, just say “no.”
Sometimes, ignore the wrong behavior but don’t allow it to continue.
Use humor to deflect angry or tense situations.
Keep a journal of ideas, clippings, and drawings of the kind of household you want to create.
Plan activities and rules that promote that kind of household.
Post reminders in eye-catching spots.
Change the environment—put on soft music.
Bring toys, books, or activities to keep your children occupied when they are in places where they need to be quiet.
Role play situations that might be difficult, new, or different to prepare your child, such as going to the doctor or going to grandma’s house.