Developing Responsibility And Self Management In Young Children: Goals Of Positive Behaviour Management (part 1)

Child care providers who are good facilitators of the social development of young children also understand the relationship between child care curriculum, care giver demeanour, and discipline in promoting responsibility and a sense of community among young children.

What Are The Main Goals Of Behaviour Management?

An issue of overwhelming concern among child care givers/providers is that of managing acting out and disruptive behaviours in children. This issue becomes more difficult when the child's behaviour is seen in a group setting and when the care giver is challenged to respond to behaviour concerns of more than one child. One of the most challenging roles of care givers of small children is to help guide their behaviour. This can be achieved by demonstrating respect, kindness, and persistence when interacting with young children.

All children display undesirable behaviour at some time. The ability to manage young children's behaviour in a positive manner is often challenging and complex; however, the effective guidance of young children requires a patient and nurturing care giver who understands the tasks of children at various ages, is aware that normal young children are naturally curious, active and impulsive, and recognizes that the main goals of positive management are to assist children to develop responsibility, to learn and develop skills to control themselves, and to take responsibility for their own behaviour.

The skill to positively manage young children often requires that care givers/providers make some important shifts in their thinking about managing children. Some of these shifts in thinking and practice are:

• Set long term goals for the children in our care beyond the short term goal of keeping peace - Long term goals of helping children to develop responsibility for their own behaviour.
• Recognize that a change in a child's behaviour usually occurs when there is a change in the care giver/provider's behaviour or practice.
• Avoid engaging in power plays, struggles with children -YOU WILL LOSE AND SO WILL THE CHILD.
• Recognize that positive attitudes of encouragement, understanding, and respect by the care giver are the basic conditions for desirable behaviour in children - Avoid the use of threats, put-downs, embarrassing statements, and criticisms to control children's behaviour.
• Keep in mind that children are social beings who have a need to belong and feel significant and important - Provide/create opportunities for children to share, to be independent, to be recognized, to receive praise, and to be involved in chores.
• Keep in mind that children are decision-makers - Create an environment where children are encouraged to make choices and are actively involved in planning activities for the day.
• Recognize that acting out behaviour in young children is often related to their language development - Young children's language capacity assists them to express their needs. Children may feel and express frustration when they have not yet developed the language to effectively communicate their wants and needs.
• Make time-out a tool for building self control. For example, let the child decide when he is ready to cooperate and return to the group. This practice helps children to begin to take responsibility for their own actions.
• Catch a child doing something right instead of catching him/her doing something wrong. Many times when a child is behaving desirably, such as playing nicely with a playmate, or sharing his/her toys in a friendly manner, we ignore the child or are too busy at the moment to notice. Giving a child a smile, a word of praise, or a pat on the back can go a long way in making the child feel special, significant, and a sense of belonging.

Do we want children to do as they are told by adults or to learn to tell themselves what to appropriately do? Do we want children to behave because an adult is around or to develop the skills to control their own behaviour in any setting? Understanding children's development and providing careful guidance of their behaviour can lead them toward developing self management, self confidence, and problem solving skills. Only then is Discipline an effective life guide.

Authors as Published

Novella J. Ruffin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Extension Child Development Specialist, Virginia State University, Virginia Dept. of Education Licensed School Psychologist and NCSP