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October 2, 2019 by wpointadmin

Tips for dealing with your non-compliant child

Parenting a child with compliance issues requires some extra thought into how you speak to your child and specifically how you get them to comply with basic tasks like getting dressed, cleaning up, going potty, doing homework, etc. 

All instinctive language and communication skills go out the window as you need to learn specific strategies that allow you to reduce your child’s non-compliant behavior. You can set yourself up for success but it requires you retraining your brain some when it comes to how you approach certain situations. 

What do we mean by non-compliance? 

This is when a child fails to start or complete a task or follow an instruction. Non-compliance is a common trait among children with autism and something that is often addressed during ABA therapy. 

Here are a few basic tips to help with the day to day activities of parenting a non-compliant child: 

  • Don’t ask yes or no questions. More than likely the answer will always be no and you are just setting yourself up for failure. 
  • Give choices where you are happy with either being chosen. That way, they feel like they’re in control and you still get a positive outcome. 

For example, When getting dressed – “Would you like to put your shirt or your shorts on first?”, when asking them to clean up their toys – “Do you want to clean up your legos or the playdough first?” or when going potty – “Do you want to go now or would you like for me to set a timer and we can go when the timer goes off?” 

  • If you make a request, make sure you have enough time to follow through with it, otherwise, you are accidentally rewarding their non-compliance and teaching them you won’t follow through with your requests. 

For example, if you’re trying to get to an appointment or school on time and you tell your child to clean up their playroom, you may be setting yourself up for failure, depending on how compliant your child is being on that particular morning.

  • If you really need them to do something, don’t ask “will you?” “can you?”, use statements instead “It’s time to eat,” “You need to go get dressed,” or “Put your shirt on please.” 
  • If you’re approaching a non-preferred task like a haircut, start talking about it several hours before so you can talk through the steps, give them choices on how they want to begin and discuss a reward for completing the task.
  • Last but certainly not least, PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE and REWARD, REWARD, REWARD. As parents, it can be so easy to overlook the positive activities that our child performs and only focus on the negative. And remember, when you are praising your child, be specific. “I love how you got dressed so quickly.” “You did such a great job eating all of your food at breakfast.” “I’m so proud of how still you sat during your haircut today.” 

Filed Under: Blog, special needs parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: autism, non compliance, parent, parenting tips, special needs parenting

August 1, 2019 by wpointadmin

How to set up a token economy

A token economy system is a popular and effective classroom management tool, but it can also be used at home. With very little setup, token economies can increase desired behaviors and take some of the emotional struggles out of parenting a child with special needs. 

What is a Token Economy?

A token economy is a system that rewards target behavior with a chosen token, chip, sticker, or check mark. Those tokens can periodically be exchanged for items or activities that are motivational to the child. If you have ever had a job, a token economy is just the same. You go to work and meet an expectation in exchange for money. The money, which has no value on its own, can be exchanged for things you want. 

Supplies Needed for a Token Economy

Tokens: Anything that is visible and can be counted can be used as a token. Poker chips are an easy choice, but it can be tickets, stickers, play money or any other item of your choice. Tokens should be portable, so that they can be awarded anywhere. 

A  Way to Keep Track: Children need a way to keep up with their tokens that is consistent

A Behavior Target: A list of the desired behaviors and the tokens that will be rewarded must be clearly listed and explained to the child ahead of time. Most parents find it easier to choose a handful of behaviors to focus on when setting up a token economy. 

Items for Exchange: An exciting menu of options that appeal to the child is the key to success for this type of program. Create a “store” of choices for which the child can exchange their tokens. These do not have to be material items. Choosing the dinner menu, staying up late, or going to the park can all be choices for exchange. Get your child involved in choosing the rewards they would like to earn. 

Tips for Setting up a Token Economy

  • Choose a handful of behaviors to address, but do not overwhelm your child by trying to correct everything. It is beneficial in the beginning to focus on a behavior where the child excels so that they can get the feeling of succeeding with the system. 
  • Frame the desired behavior in a positive manner. Instead of “don’t complain during dinner” use “keep a cheerful attitude during dinner.” 
  • If the child is struggling to earn any tokens break the task into smaller chunks and reward more frequently. 
  • Reward the proper behavior immediately by handing out a token. Instant gratification is ideal for kids who are struggling with delayed consequences. 
  • Change the system as the child improves their behavior. Give tokens more sparingly and make rewards more costly to wean your child away from the token economy. 

But, Does it Work?

Research shows that token economies are very effective for kids who have been resistant to all other types of intervention. The immediate delivery of a tangible reminder of good behavior keeps children motivated and helps them to stay focused.  Because the rewards can be varied, kids are also less likely to get bored with the system. The greatest benefit is the flexibility of the system. If it’s not working quite right, don’t give up entirely. Tweak the system by adding rewards or breaking tasks down into smaller chunks for faster success. 

Resources for Creating Your Own Token Economy

Token Economy Set Up Kit by Sasha Hallagan

Car Themed Token Economy by Nicole Caldwell

Monster Themed Token Economy by Making Model Students

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: autism, behavior modification, special needs parenting, token economy

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