Teachers, parents, and caregivers all struggle with some behaviors
and actions of the children in our care. Wouldn't it be nice
to have a magic formula--a specific bit of advice or strategy
to work in all situations? Of course there is no magic formula,
but it helps to remember that children's behaviors do not occur
in a vacuum. Instead, they are driven by five basic issues or
possibilities that help explain a child's actions. Understanding
these issues and being a reflective rather than reactive parent
or caregiver will result in more positive outcomes for both
the caregiver and the child, creating in the process an atmosphere
that supports and nurtures the child.
1. Is this a developmental stage?
Many problems that occur in infancy and early childhood appear
at the onset of a new developmental stage. Each new phase of
development brings challenges for the child and the child's
caregivers. For example, body independence in the child's second
year and an emerging sense of an independent self elicit a period
of negativism.
Feeding and sleeping problems also may occur during developmental
transitions, and it helps if caregivers are extra patient and
loving in their responses. It's best to give a child choices,
use humor, and be firm but supportive. Parents will find this
period good practice for the teenage years when many of the
same issues of independence emerge again on a more complex scale.
2. Is this an individual or temperament difference?
Not all children of a certain age act the same way. These individual
differences may be rooted in a variety of causes. Biological
factors such as visual impairments, tactile sensitivities, auditory
and speech disorders, or motor disabilities may affect a child's
behavior.
Temperament qualities such as shyness, adaptability, moodiness,
or inflexibility also may account for many of the differences
in children's (and adults') behaviors. Adults who learn more
about their own temperament traits are better able to recognize
those situations that result from conflict of two different
attitudes toward or approaches to the same behavioral problem.
3. Is the environment causing the behavior?
Sometimes the setting provokes a behavior that may seem inappropriate.
An overcrowded child care setting or the lack of an appropriate
number or types of toys can increase aggression or spark jealousy.
Look around your home or program setting and evaluate it in
light of your child's behaviors. We need to get down on our
knees and see the environment from a child's viewpoint.
4. A child does not know something but is ready to learn
Clues to this situation include sensing that the child is in
new or unfamiliar territory or is facing a new task or problem.
Perhaps this is the first time a two-year-old without siblings
has been asked to share a toy or treasured object. Developmentally
he does not truly understand the concept of sharing, so it is
up to us as parent and teacher to calmly explain to the child
how the other children will react. Patience and repeating the
message over and over again are necessary. Children rarely learn
or master a desired response on the first try.|
5. Unmet emotional needs
Emotional needs that are unmet are the most difficult cause
of behavior to interpret. In these situations, the child's behavior
has a particularly driven quality about it and occurs with regular
frequency in all settings.
The child who continually harms himself or other children should
be stopped and may need an assessment by a trained professional.
Careful observation, thoughtful reflection, and communication
between parents and teachers who respond with quiet firmness
and patience can be critical to the future emotional health
of children with emotional needs.
If a child needs, for example, extra love and attention, we
don't want to withhold that from her but rather find ways for
validating and acknowledging the child during the school day,
encouraging participation in circle activities, and acknowledging
empathetic behavior toward others.
This release was adapted from an article by Judy Reinsberg entitled
"Understanding Young Children’s Behavior" that
appeared in the July 1999 issue of Young Children. The author
is an instructor at California’s Diablo Valley College
in Pleasant Hill and Solano Community College in Suisun City.
Reproduced
by permission of the NAEYC
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