611 N. Hyer Ave.

Orlando, FL  32803

(407)  428-1111

info@mistyforest.org

© 2007 Misty Forest

As we leap into a new year, let's remember that we can change our children’s behavior by simply focusing on what they are doing "right" more often than what they are doing "wrong".

                                                                                   -Chimene Hurst

Indigo Parent

Meet Up

Meets every

Thursday from

7-9 pm

Join Family Yoga!

with Jamie Rozenweig

Saturdays 10:00-10:45

Bring a mat for yourself, your child (we provide kid mats) and forty-five minutes for some special time to connect and to your family and your health!

A good rule of thumb to remember is: for every 1 time that you draw attention to a negative behavior, point out 6 times of appropriate behavior. 6 to 1 ratio. Instead of " You haven’t been able to sit still all day!", try " Wow! I noticed that you were just sitting in your seat for a whole 5 minutes! Way to go! I know that can be pretty hard to do." Rather than " I’ve told you to clean your room 100 times today and you still haven’t done it!!", say " Wow! I just noticed that 3 of the puzzle pieces are put away! It already looks cleaner in here! Keep up the good work!"

Even though some days it may be a real stretch to find something that your child is doing right, you’ll be surprised at how quickly your little one will respond to receiving positive attention, an will behave in ways to get more of it!

Remember—children do what works! Somewhere along the way the idea has spread that in order to make children behave better, we first have to make them feel worse. It just isn’t so.

It may not always be easy…However, by investing the time and energy now into responding to your child in these ways, you are nourishing positive self-thoughts, enriching their self-esteem and setting the foundation for cooperative behavior in the future. It is worth it!