Building Compliance Series (Entry 4)

Hey First Coffee Then ABA Family I am super excited to share this new intervention with you!! This intervention is one that I use in my own home, but I have also used in school and therapy settings. I like to call this intervention “Offer Choices You Can Live With”. How many of you, like me, have told your child you have to do this right now, and when you do, your child immediately says no, has a tantrum, and refuses to do what you have said? Well, this might be the intervention for you!!! Let me give an example of what I mean. Instead of telling your child, “You have to brush your teeth right now.” You could say, “You can either brush your teeth before or after you put your pajamas on.” You have given your child choices that you can live with as he/she is still going to brush his/her teeth, but your child is less likely to become “oppositional” because he/she has choices as to when to brush his/her teeth. When your child feels like he/she doesn’t have any “control” over what he/she does or when he/she does it, your child is more likely to become “oppositional” and engage in problem behavior. Children feel empowered when they are given choices which reduces the likelihood that they will engage in problem behavior. Here are a few keys to success when giving choices: 1. Don’t give too many choices. Too many choices can create anxiety in a child which can also cause problem behavior to occur. 2. Be sure that you can live with either choice. Don’t give choices that will create frustration in you as your child will see that and might cause some problem behavior to occur. 3. Finally, be sure that your child follows through on the choice that was made. Allowing your child to escape from the task can reinforce escaping from the task and increase problem behavior. If implemented correctly, “Offering choices that you can live with” can really be a beneficial intervention to use with your child. I hope that you find this intervention useful in your home or professional practice. Please continue to share this page so that this information can help as many families and professionals as possible!!! Thank you all for your support!!! With Love Kimberly W