As a parent or educator, it can be tough keeping up with all of the little things that occur at home or in the classroom. Regardless, the consequences that maintain your child’s behavior do not pity the creator, and moments of inconsistency add up.
In ABA we call this INTERMITTENT REINFORCEMENT, and it can literally tear your parenting goals apart. Simply put, inconsistencies in parenting or teaching styles can produce and/or increase behavioral issues in children.
To change this, parents and educators should begin by choosing short-term goals that align with their long-term goals. These goals should match what their significant other or assistant teacher’s goals are for their children.
Some examples of short-term goals may be, “Starting this upcoming Monday morning, my partner and I will allow up to 15 minutes of TV in the morning if the children finish getting ready by 7:45am, regardless of any tantrums, pleas, or guilt trips. If I or my partner wake up irritable, the other will take control, while the irritable parent helps from the side lines by making their coffee to-go or starting their car. My long-term goal will be to get everyone to their school or workplace on time and without fuss because that is what’s to be expected”.
Parenting goals should be written to include short, intermediate, and long-term goals, dates, times, who is involved, what to do if things go wrong, and how to persevere. No more than 2-3 parenting goals should be developed at one time.
Always remember that with the right amount of determination and support, anything is possible!
What struggles have you dealt with as a parent or educator? What goals did you develop to tackle this issue? Let us know below!
