Three-Level Method of Discipline

How many times do you warn your kids before you administer a punishment? Is it three? Five? Depends on how you are feeling? As you know, consistency is the name of the game when we discipline. Your kids have to know what to expect in order for any method to work. Dr. Jerry Day describes a corrective teaching method called the three-level method of discipline. The first level is a warning. This is done with no penalty attached. It’s when you tell your kids to stop tormenting the cat, bickering among themselves or climbing on the furniture. If they take … Continue reading

Children Who Can’t Trust

When an infant has a need (such as the need for nourishment) which is not met, there is a big emotional response. That’s because the stakes are so great. If the child isn’t nourished, he will die. So he makes his needs known rather dramatically, crying and thrashing about. If this emotional response eventually brings him the sustenance he needs, he begins learning to trust. He discovers that when he is vulnerable, someone in his life will respond lovingly. As the child grows and develops, trust continues to build as the cycle repeats over and over again. For example, the … Continue reading

Education Week in Review: July 21- July 27

I have now spent many hours working on my new classroom. It is almost complete and ready for the first kindergarten student to come rolling through the door. Next week will begin my county’s first week of school for teachers. Throughout the summer hot education topics have been on the rise. Check out below for this week’s news. Saturday, July 21 Entering Middle School The transition between elementary and middle school can be emotional and difficult for parents and students. This is the age when children are uncertain how to handle their growing responsibility and feelings. This article gives ideas … Continue reading

Single Parent Travels: Removing Rewards

Just as I believe that rewards should be given for good behavior, I also believe that things should be removed for negative behavior. I did have to do this a couple of times on our trip. Did it make him angry with me? Yes, for a short while, but then he realized that if he corrected his behavior, he would get whatever was taken away back, and would be able to keep it as long as he continued the positive behavior. We aren’t just talking “things” here either, though that was the most common towards the end of the trip, … Continue reading

Now or Later?

If you have kids who procrastinate, here’s a technique that might help. It’s called The Now or Later Technique. Dr. Jerry Day describes it and like his behavior shaping technique mentioned in a previous blog, this is one of those techniques that you shouldn’t try unless you can see it through to the end. There’s a good chance you will be inconvenienced initially but if you are persistent, you probably won’t have to do it again. Let’s look at a child who procrastinates when it comes to cleaning his room. The first step is to give your child a directive, … Continue reading

Behavior Shaping

Getting our kids to comply with even simple requests can sometimes be a daily struggle. Fortunately there are many techniques available to help parents in their struggles. One such technique is a behavior shaping method known as the 30-Second Technique described by Dr. Jerry Day. It’s a twist on the “count to three” method that many parents use, but as Day points out, some parents don’t think ahead to what they will do once they reach three. Here’s a brief highlight of how the method works. (1) Take an inventory of items in your child’s room and rank them from … Continue reading

Six Ways to Deal With a Hyperactive Child

Children with ADHD, Autism, or various neurological disorders often have frustrating bouts of hyperactivity. Some children have such high energy levels mixed with defiance or impulsivity that they can’t focus properly at school or maintain friendships. I’m convinced that these kids can benefit enormously from medication. (Read my blog, “ADHD and the Maddening Missing Meds.” ) But some children may not require medication, and only need some parental guidance to regain control. Here are six ways you can help a hyperactive child: 1. Channel the energy. A child with endless amounts of energy, who is bounding up and down the … Continue reading

Daycare Shopping: What Defines Good

When you are looking for a daycare to take your son or daughter to, it can be a very difficult decision. It’s even more difficult when you are looking for a good facility for your infant or toddler. After all, a daycare center is hardly a substitute for your tender loving care. But needs must and for some of us, daycare becomes an option we have to explore. So, when you are start looking for a daycare center, you want to talk to more than the staff – you want to talk to other parents. You want to talk to … Continue reading