When we respectfully reward good acts and punish bad behaviors, our
kids learn the rules … fast! So, now that you know how to boost good
(green-light) behaviors and reduce annoying (yellow-light) ones …
you’re ready to learn how to stop the totally unacceptable (red-light)
ones.
Three Red-Light Behaviors You Must
Stop … Fast
There are three types of bad behaviors that go beyond the “annoying”
category and need to be stopped in their tracks.
•
Dangerous acts: Running into the street, grabbing hot coffee,
playing with knives—any behavior that puts your child (or
someone else’s) in harm’s way.
•
Aggression: Hitting,
spitting, kicking, biting, and other mean
acts.
•
Breaking key family rules: These are rules
you get to choose.
Some of them might fit just about all families (like
no drawing
on the walls), but others vary from home to home, for example,
no
eating in the living room, no touching the computer, no
calling your brother an idiot.
All of these behaviors demand swift action, often with a “take-charge”
consequence: time-out or giving a fine.
Stopping bad behaviors doesn’t mean
rolling up your sleeves and
fighting your child mano a mano. Like the world’s top ambassadors, you
can stop most conflicts by establishing clear consequences in a respectful
manner.
So put away your boxing gloves, and read on to sharpen up
your diplomatic skills.
