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About Elizabeth Norris
Expertise
I would like to help you raise children who are respectful and responsible and who seek positive outcomes for themselves and their interactions with others. Each child has their own learning style and each family has their own individual culture. I look for creative ways to address problems or concerns that arise when guiding young children. I am an Early Childhood Special Education teacher and work providing support and ideas to families of young children in the home. I have an understanding of typical and delayed development and can identify red flags in children who can benefit from specialized services. I also teach positive parenting courses to help parents understand why children misbehave and to develop strategies to effectively respond to those behaviors while honoring individual family values. I have a specific interest in children labeled as difficult, attention deficit or oppositional defiant. I am committed to finding ways children can positively participate in family or community activities. I empathize with children who don’t feel they are fitting in and for parents who worry and feel criticized. I have a sense of humor and look for ways to reduce frustration and to foster playful interactions.

Experience
As a young child I experienced learning disabilities and had trouble fitting in. I was later diagnosed as dyslexic. My own daughter experienced similar issues and we were simultaneously diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. I have enjoyed working with children, especially those with special needs, for over 30 years. I have provided respite care, emergency foster care coached special Olympics and taught adaptive aquatics. I Worked full time as a classroom aide in a high school special education classroom prior to earning my teaching certificate. I have taught 5th grade, kindergarten and both integrated and self contained special education preschool classes. I have consulted to private preschools and Head Start classrooms regarding mainstreaming children with special needs. I currently work as an Early Childhood Special Education Teacher and provide home visits to families of developmentally delayed children ages birth to three. I am familiar with programs available to support families who have special education needs. I am particularly interested in supporting children labeled as difficult and fostering supportive environments for learning. I teach positive parenting courses in rural communities.

Organizations
Parenting with Love and Logic INC. Special Olympics

Publications
Good Day Bad Day an inspirational story published in the book Why I Teach.

Education/Credentials
BS Elementary Education University of Oregon 1989 45 hours of graduate coursework in Special Education Oregon Educational Association certified in Early Childhood Special Education. Various teaching strategies and programs for language, cognitive, motor and social development. Strategies to assist families with children who demonstrate challenging behaviors. Parenting with Love and Logic facilitator.

Awards and Honors
Graduated University of Oregon with honors 1989

Past/Present Clients
Public regular education classrooms. Children and families with developmental disabilities. Children and families with behavior challenges. Parents who want to learn new parenting strategies. Parents who are court ordered to attend behavior management courses. Consultation to private and public preschool programs. Professional development to teachers.

You are here: Experts > Parenting/Family > Parenting of Multiples > Parenting--Toddlers/Infants/Pre-Schoolers > bathroom behavior

Pre-Schoolers - bathroom behavior

Expert: Elizabeth Norris - 11/2/2009

Question
we have 3 and 4 year old sons which both recently started preschool. we have just noticed the 3 year old is urinating in his closet on his clothes. we noticed in our closet a puddle of water and thought it was our cat. we went to empty the laundry basket and notice all of my husbands clothes had been urinated on. please help us.

Answer
Hello Mariann, this is a head scratcher for sure. The short of it is, get eye to eye with him, tell him you know about it. Tell him the only acceptable place for him to urinate is the toilet. Ask him if it is clear (use age appropriate language you usually use to talk to him). Tell him, any future incidents will be considered naughty and will have a consequence. If he continues, take away a treasured item or activity for a couple of days. If the behavior stops then give it back and move on.

I also want you to consider the possibility of your older son having something to do with the incidents. If he told him to do it, and reinforced the behavior by laughing etc. then both boys need to know the expected behavior and consequence if they do not comply. If you do not know for sure it was the younger boy, it is important he does not take the blame and consequence for the older boy's participation. If you older boy tattled, seems very interested in your reaction and finds pleasure in the brother being in trouble then there is a good chance he had something to do with it. Often, with sibling pairs there can be a silent instigator and an obvious mimic or actor. It is common for siblings to teeter totter good kid bad kid rolls.

You can speak to both boys and tell them since you did not see the behavior, they both should know any future incidents will be considered naughty and both boys can have a consequence. If you are lucky, they will see you as the bad guy and build a brotherly bond and begin to get along on a level playing field.
I hope it goes well for you!
Warmly,
Elizabeth

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