CHANGE THE ENVIRONMENT, CHANGE THE BEHAVIOUR!

Kids will behave one way at home, another way at school and differently again in public. Let’s take a look at how changing the environment changes behaviour.

When children start life as babies, they communicate what they want and need by crying, and you are there to meet all their needs. When they are hungry, tired, or want your attention, a toy or a book, they get used to the idea that they just need to cry out, and they’ll get what they want.

With the advent of the toddler years, they are able to use some words, but are still learning to put words together into sentences. So, it’s often easier to get your attention by acting out, as they know this works! Children will often use the strategies that have worked for them in their early years as they get older, by which time it can manifest in some behaviours that can be tough for both mother and child to handle, such as crying, screaming, getting frustrated. (The child, that is!)

If your child is behaving in a way you don’t like, it’s a good idea to look at what’s going on in your child’s environment. If you change your child’s environment, you can often change your child’s behaviour.

Changing the physical environment can include the timing of activities, your requests and instructions, as well the actual location. Changing the environment can also just mean making small, manageable changes to what’s happening around your child. It doesn’t mean moving house, changing the furniture, installing expensive play equipment and so on!

WHAT IS YOUR CHILD’S ENVIRONMENT?

When it comes to children’s behaviour, the environment just means the little things around your child. Your child’s ‘behaviour environment’ includes:

• Their location – for example, at the park, at home, at the supermarket