Child not listening? Dealing with a temper tantrum? Tears? Or generally challenging behaviors? Before you respond, consider this acronym:
H.A.L.T. – Hungry, Angry, Tired, and Lonely.
Sometimes, our behavior is a result of physical and mental needs that can be easily addressed. So ask yourself, is it possible your child is hungry? angry? tired? and/or lonely (or sad)? Any of these conditions can affect our behavior. If you’re not sure, ask! When is the last time you ate ? What did you eat? Did you get enough sleep? Did something happen to upset you? Get your sleuthing hat out and assess if there is something that needs to be remedied before addressing your child’s challenging behavior. Walk through this process with your child so he or she can learn to “self-diagnose.” Hopefully, with time, your child will learn to realize what he or she needs before behaving or speaking in an inappropriate manner.
One more thing … before you reprimand your child, assess your own current condition. Are you hungry, angry, tired, or lonely? If so, you are likely to respond more negatively and possibly overreact.
Interested in more behavior management tips? Check out this article about how to stop yelling at your kids.