A Thousand Small Moments: Session 2

The MSU CFT clinic recently started a parenting booster class. In conjunction with that class I will be posting additional material related to the topics discussed for each class. For those who can't join us we hope this will be of some help.

Session 2: Attention and Praise and Family Routines
In this session we discussed ways to show love and change behavior by using positive Attention and Praise as well as by instituting Family Routines.
First, as a result of our continuously busier lives, parents and children rarely spend much quality time with each other. Often the time that is spent with each other is spent where the parents give half-hearted attention to their children, or are giving orders for their children to do something. As with the first session (Child-Centered Play and Emotion Coaching) giving positive attention and praise to your children becomes a great way to reduce negative behaviors displayed by children. When giving attention to your children it is important that you give them your undivided attention so they know that you really care about their concerns and their ideas. Try to provide a ratio of five positive interactions to every negative interaction with your child in order to improve behavior.