Spring 2025

As a parent or caregiver, you give your children a good start in life—you nurture, protect, and guide them. Parenting is a process that prepares your child for independence. As your child grows and develops, there are many things you can do to help your child.

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Claudia describes that in order to change unwanted behavior, you need to teach your child an appropriate behavior to replace the unwanted one.  Not surprisingly, this applies to us as well.​

The use of consistent consequences such as timeouts and taking away privileges, unwanted behaviors can be reduced or eliminated.  Rewarding appropriate behavior is even more effective than giving consequences for unwanted ones.​

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The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is a resource for positive parenting tips that Claudia uses to help us work in this area.  Below is a short list of things to use.

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Positive parenting tips

• Let your child help with simple chores

• Be clear and consistent when disciplining your child.  Explain and show the behavior that you expect from them.  Whenever you tell them no, follow up with what they should do instead.

• Help your child through the steps to solve problems when they are upset

• Give your child a limited number of simple choices (for example, deciding what to wear, when to play, and what to eat for snack)​​

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​Safety

As your child becomes more independent, it is important that you share ways to stay safe, and setting your expectations with your child:

• Tell your child why it is important to stay out of traffic. Tell them not to play in the street or run after stray balls.

• Be cautious when letting your child ride their tricycle. Keep them on the sidewalk and away from the street and always have them wear a helmet.

• Teach your child how to be safe around strangers.​​

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Additional information from the CDC is available here.

Featured resources

Identifying unwanted behavior

Planning rewards and consequences

Reward coupons