Positive Parenting sponsored by Healthy Families Tifton

Tips for Parents with Children Ages Birth - 5

Infants (birth to 12 months) only need distraction or redirection. 

Encouragement: Encouragement is always better motivation for change than punishment. Praise your child when you see him/her doing acceptable behaviors or close to acceptable/desirable behaviors. Show your child how to do what you want him/her to do. Remember that young children like to copy what adults are doing.

Choices: Choices give children an opportunity to change their behavior.

• When you see you your child doing something unacceptable, call him/her by name, look him/her in the eye and say something like "You must stop doing __________ right now."
• Without yelling, in 10-15 words or less, tell your child why the behavior is not acceptable.
• Give your child two choices that he/she can do instead.
• Praise him/her when he/she changes their behavior.

Time-Out: Use time-out to stop an unacceptable behavior when encouragement and giving choices has not worked.

• Tell your child that he/she will have to be by him/herself for 2-3 minutes. Whenever possible, use the same chair or place. Consistency is best.
• While you are putting your child in the time-out area, without yelling in 10-15 words or less, tell your toddler why he/she cannot do the behavior. Focus on why the behavior is unacceptable, not on your child being bad.
• Make sure your child does not receive any attention from other adults or children, and does not have things to play with.
• If you have a timer, set it and let your child know that when it is finished, his/her time-out is over.
• When time-out time is finished, tell your child once again in 10 words or less, why he/she cannot do the unacceptable behavior anymore.
• Help your child find something else to do which is acceptable.

Source: 1999/Revised 2004 Great Kids, Inc.

Positive Parenting Brochure Birth - 5.pdf