THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS

 

A “vicious cycle of behaviour problems” begins when a child repeatedly performs an inappropriate behaviour and the parent’s attempt to manage it is unsuccessful. The behaviour is repeated many times over a period of time with the results being:

1. management strategy continues to be less than successful
2. parent gets angry
3. the child continues the behaviour
4. child gets “locked in” and shows no sign of wanting to cooperate
5. parent gets “locked in” to a strategy that isn’t working

The end results of this cycle are:

1. the parent’s authority gradually decreases
2. the child’s “sense of control” increases
3. the relationship between the parents and the child suffers greatly
4. “I love my kid, but I really don’t like him much”

The solution to the “vicious cycle of behaviour problems” is for the parent to objectively evaluate their own response to the inappropriate behaviours and consider another response. What parents need most are ideas, because with ideas we get options. Rick Harper has been providing ideas to parents for over 35 years.

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