Childhood Defiant Behavior

When it is a problem:

1. Your child refuses to cooperate with even simple requests.
2. Other Adults report behavior difficulties with your child.
3. Your child is being suspended or receiving disciplinary notes from school.

Solution:

1. Establish clear expectations for behavior
2. Establish clear priviledges (can watch television, stay up a little latler, can play outside) for cooperative behavior and consistent consequences for lack of cooperation.
3. Offer your child a choice in non-dangerous situations (for example, "Do you want to start your homework in 30 minutes or now?) as opposed to demanding compliance immediately.
4. Remember that you are not supposed to be our child's friend. Sometimes he or she will not like you because you demand obedient behavior.
5. Aboid tgrying t save your child from the consequences of his/her defiant behavior by trying to blalme the teacher or the situation. Children learm by the consequences t he esperience.

Credits: Center for Child and Family Services, Inc.