Dr. Alan E. Kazdin
The Kazdin Method® of Parenting
Many parents use the beginning of a new year to reflect on changes they would like to make in themselves and with their children. Maybe you would like your child to be a better listener, be more respectful, or get along with siblings better. Big goals and ideas are great, but to make real change, [...]
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It can be the essential ingredient in improving behavior, or it can make behavior worse. The result depends on the quality of the praise and upon how and when it’s delivered.
The research tells us that talking and explaining are weak methods of changing behavior. The stronger approach is to define a positive opposite—a good behavior to replace the one you don’t want—and then reinforce it consistently and often enough that it becomes your child’s default setting.
