Encourage and Praise Good Behavior

Encourage and praise good behavior. As parents we’re quick to see the negatives in our children. Work on noticing the positives. If I see one of my children help one of the younger ones, or talking nicely or even just sharing a toy willingly, I pull them aside and praise them and thank them for how kindly they’ve acted.

Our number three, can sometimes be a challenge. I think it is the ‘middle child syndrome’. I have to make sure I make an effort to encourage her because I feel like I am often correcting her. You may need to make an intentional effort to look for opportunities to praise the good behavior of a child who is particularly difficult.

My mother-in-law also has a story she tells about Drew. He used to use negative behaviour to secure his mother’s attention. But she started focusing on his good behaviour and Drew learned that good behaviour gets more attention. When he would throw a tantrum on the floor, she would simply walk away and ignore him. Eventually he'd realize that it wasn't working. But when he did something positive she would go overboard with praises. He soon figured out that good behavior is much more rewarding.