6 Simple and Effective Behavior Management Strategies

Behavior management is essentially the process of minimizing negative behavior and/or increasing positive or pro-social behavior, usually in children (by parents) or in students (by teachers).

There are probably as many ways to manage behavior as there are behaviors – but the following list includes six of my favorite strategies for managing child behavior.

1.  Behavior Chart

Behavior charts are a great way for parents to track a child’s behavior over the course of a week or month.  A typical behavior chart focuses on a small handful of behaviors and/or tasks that a child must work on during each time period.  When the positive behavior is demonstrated (or when the negative behavior is avoided) then the child earns a checkmark for that day.  Each checkmark denotes success.  After a certain amount of time (usually a week) the child can earn privileges (rewards) or restrictions (consequences) based on how well he or she performed.  Behavior charts can also be used to track chores or hygiene.

2.  Behavior Contract

A behavior contract is an agreement between a child and his or her parent(s) that describes the child’s expected behavior.  Most contracts also have a clause that explains the consequences (positive or negative) for meeting (or failing to meet) the behavioral expectations outlined in the contract.  Behavior contracts are generally more detailed than behavior charts.  If you are interested in a terrific set of prewritten, downloadable behavior contracts then check out this link: Teen Behavior Contracts

3.  Token Economy

In a token economy, children can earn “tickets” (or some other tangible item) in exchange for positive behavior.  These “tickets” (or tokens) can then be traded in for desired rewards or privileges. ParenTools (Etsy Shop) offers Behavior Bucks, which are perfect for incorporating a token economy into your daily routine.

4.  Time Out

Time outs are used when children demonstrate negative, defiant, dangerous, or inappropriate behavior.  The child is simply removed from the situation and placed in a quiet, distraction-free area to “think about his/her behavior and how he/she could have behaved in a better way.”  Time-outs are highly effective with younger children. 

5.  Restriction

Restrictions are almost like putting an object in “time out” or like “grounding” a child from a certain activity.  If a child is misusing a toy then that toy is “restricted” for the next day or week (or other predetermined amount of time).  If a preteen is out past curfew then that child could be “restricted” from going out on the following weekend.  Restrictions are basically the removal of a particular object, privilege, or activity for a specified amount of time.

6.  Repair

Repair simply means that the child “makes things better.”  This could mean repaying someone for a toy that he or she broke or maybe writing an apology to a person that was negatively affected by his or her behavior. 

Not all of these strategies will work will each child, but with a little bit of experimentation…you just might find one that works wonders.