Expert: Jene Aviram - 8/10/2009

Question
dear jene
I am ateacher.iwant to ask u aquestion what is the best way to deal with anaughty child?


Answer
Hi,

Every child is different.  There are many strategies you can use and you have to see which one works best for a child.

One of the most successful strategies is to work with rewards rather than punishment.  For example, let's say your child refuses to clean up his toys.  You can create a schedule and hang it on the wall.  Put a picture of cleaning up toys on the schedule.  Let your child know that each time he cleans up his toys, he can place check mark on the schedule.  When he has 10 check marks, he gets to go for ice-cream.

An example of a pre-made "reward chart" can be found at this link.  

When you say a "naughty child", my guess is you're dealing with a lot of behaviors.  If this is the case, it's good to tackle one or two things at a time.  As you get each behavior under control, you can begin with the next.

I know it can be taxing and emotionally draining when you're trying to get behaviors under control.  But take it step by step and keep consistent.  Little by little, you'll get there.
Best of luck to you.

Jene Aviram
http://www.nlconcepts.com