Behavior Charts
Are you looking for a simple way to motivate your child to be helpful, well behaved and good mannered? Behavior charts are a great way to do just that. They can help your child remember the things you want them to do without you having to constantly remind them. There are a few things you should do however, if you are planning on using a behaviour chart with your child in order to make it more effective.
The first thing to do is to make sure that the behaviors you include on the chart are specific and easy to accomplish. You do not want to overwhelm your child with a huge list of behaviors that are impossible to attain. Specific goals such as ‘make the bed’ are straightforward and easy to achieve. Goals such as ‘get along with your brothers and sisters’ is too vague and sets you child up to fail. Remember you want your chart to be a success and your child to feel that they can be responsible and be proud of themselves.
Secondly you should aim to make it a positive experience for you and your child. You want to instil positive behaviors in your child and that is what you need to focus on, not the negative ones. Also it is important to realize that nobody is perfect, your child included. There will be days when they will not meet your expectations, but that is okay as changes take time and they should be encouraged when this happens.
Lastly, it is recommended to use a simple reward system. Non-money rewards are best such as stickers for younger children or special privileges for older children such as a staying up later or a special outing with a family member. If your child is allowed to help make the chart and have some input into the reward system they tend to be more enthusiastic towards the whole process.
Remember that your goal in using behaviour charts is to encourage and develop good actions and manners in your child. If at first you don’t succeed, feel free to alter your chart until you get the desired outcome.