Many parents or caretakers do not realize that sharing and teamwork can actually be reinforced and learned based on numerous research studies.  Teaching your children to work as a team and to share will reduce the behavior problem frequency in the future that the parent will have to address in the home and at school! The following are some ideas on how to encourage these skills. 
1.  One idea is to reward your children for working or playing with no tantrum or behavior problems. For example, if they are playing a game give social praise or a snack only on days they work together or play nicely! 
2. Practice giving the something and telling them they can have that item  (such as a cookie) only if they share it with their siblings.
3.  Encourage children to take turns playing with a toy when they both want to play with it.  You might even suggest they discuss it and come to some agreement about the use of the toy.
4.  Purchase stories  that include the theme of sharing or teamwork and discuss the story after reading it together.
5.  Point out to your children when other people display team or sharing skills. For example, if someone picks up something that someone drops compliment the action by saying " wow what a gentleman he helped that woman!" 
6.  In the evening roleplay and discuss how people work together or play together at school or in the community. 
7.  Play alot of games with your children and focus on good sportsmanship, complimenting each other on playing skills, taking turns, talking nicely to each other and manners. Praise these skills when the occur during the game!
Developing these social skills of teamwork and sharing will probalby lead to many happy experiences when your child is with another person or a group and a happier life! 

Many children have difficulty solving problems and resort to displaying inappropriate behavior to solve their problems. There are numerous ways to improve your child's' problem solving skills.   Any child with disabilities, autism, ADHD, defiant behaviors or just normal children can improve their problem solving skills. 

Throughout the day parents can incorporate problem solving practice during the daily routine.  For example, in the morning for breakfast prompt the child to try to figure out what he will eat, what he will wear and where you will go. During daily activities or outings try to encourage your child to use problem solving skills effectively. A variety of methods of problem solving might be used. He might list the options of the choices he has. For example, even a simple thing like making breakfast might be broken down into steps, list the choices of foods and choices of how to make the foods.  If there is an argument in the morning with sibling over who can sit in a certain chair you might discuss the options. For example, maybe you can take turns each day sitting in that chair, maybe you can buy another chair like that one, they might ask for your help in working out a problem, or could bargain by offering another activity to his sibling in in in in in in using the chair. 

Parents should use reinforcement for getting along. The research shows that co-operative play can be increased through the use of reinforcers. Parents can offer additional reinforcing activities if behavior is co-operative and appropriate in the morning. Social praise or special treats for getting along can be effective depending on what is reinforcing for your child. Remember to be specific when using praise. For example, "you are such gentleman the way you work together on making breakfast!" Another example might be "you are such a good brother and so kind helping each other to set the table!" Parents should try to reinforce only if play is co-operative and not if only one child is good following each activity. 

Finally, practice at specific times during the day problem solving is helpful. Often parents have time while driving, waiting at a doctor office or at bedtime to practice problem solving with their child. For example, at bedtime the parent can review a situation, list some optional solutions, reinforce appropriate solutions and try to come up with other examples of this type of situation. Remember it is better to use hypothetical situations about other people, in a movie or from your experience rather than a situation your child has currently. If you use his current specific problem you may inadvertently reinforce him for having problems frequently with others.  The more you practice solving problems that are imaginary then when he has real problems he will be ready to solve them quickly!

Parents often report that they notice that their children do not have as nice handwriting as the parents did at their age.  It may be that the school does not focus on teaching this since children are typing more on the computer rather than writiing. In fact, some schools do not even teach cursive writing or "long hand" writing for the kids in school. The reason is often stated by educators that children do not need or use cursive writing any more since they rely on typing emails or printing on forms.  The problem is when a child has to complete a form for college or a job or send a thank-you note he may not be able to write neatly. People that read the form or note often judge the persons' abilitiies based on the handwriting. Parents can overcome this with the following ideas for encouragining good hand writing.
1.  Children might practice handwriting  along with reading on days they do not have homework. 
2.  Hire a tututor if your childs' handwriting is particularly bad and you have not been able to solve this problem. 
3.  Review anything your child writes and have him rewrite it if it is not as neeat as you think it should be.
4.  Using line paper is useful to improve the neatness of the handwriting.
5.  Writing something for your child and have them imitate the hand writing. This is called "Modeling" or demonstrating the behavior. 
6.  Make sure the writing instuments are sharp or use a pen. Erasable pens are usful in training since you can erase one word or letter and have them rewrite it.
7.  Have your child make the weekly grocery list and encourage or prompt him to write neatly so that everyone can read it while shopping. 
8.  Children in lower grades should be encourage to do there writing homework neatly so that later it does not become an issue. 
9.  Have your child assist in filling out forms at docters or other forms in order to practice neat handwriting.
Finally, remember to follow any training with the kind of praise, or activity reward that your child likes! The reinforcement will help him to learn to write more neatly and also result in the child writing more neatl in the future!  

Children with disabilities, autism and a variety of behavior problems often do not display social skills such as sharing, greeting others, offering to help others, praising others and making small talk. The following are some tips on how to encourage these skills during your child's daily schedule.

1.The first step is to identify the skill you want teach.  Social skills can be taught, which is often not acknowledged by caregivers. 
2. Once the social skills are identified then prioritize which ones you will focus on first. Always work informally on all types of skills so that the training is even faster. Intensive focus on the highest priority skill does ensure that you will make faster progress with the more important skills for the child.
3. There is research that  Sharing and getting along can be reinforced and developed in a child. Some children are friendly and share on their own. The children that do not do this on their own can be taught to do so. Also, if caring and sharing are not encourage a child that is predisposed to be friendly might become less friendly.
4.  During the daily schedule be sure to include time for socializing. If your child's schedule includes only solitary activities such as his ipad or books and chores he may not have any opportunity to socialize and become friendly with others. For example, you can have time to talk at dinner, time for interactive games, talk in the car or at night before they go to sleep.  
5.  Include reinforcers for socializing such as a preferred item or activity if your children play a board game nicely. 
6.  If inappropriate behaviors do occur during the interactive activity be sure to stop the activity. Also,  do not give any preferred activity or item to anyone involved in the interactive activity. 
7.  Modeling and prompting appropriate conversations during interactive games can also be helpful for children. Often the children may not have the skill or forget to perform the skills. Social skills, sharing and friendliness are  important skills since getting along with others affects every area of the child's future including job, how they treat their family members,  friendships and general happiness of your child.

Parents or caregivers often ask " How do I get my children to help with chores!" The following are some tips to encourage them and motivate them to complete chores in the home. 
1.  Discuss reasons why it is important to do chores. For example, so that the house looks nice when their friends come over. A second reason might be to help the parent or caregiver so they have more time to cook for the child or go places with them. 
2.  It is helpful to make a list of possible chores and have the child choose a specific number that they would like to do. If the child enjoys the chore intrinsically he will be more likely to perform the chore. 
3.  A list of reinforcers that the child would like to earn weekly or daily for performing the chore can be useful. It is helpful to involve the child or observe him closely to make sure the reinforcers selected are actually going to motivate the child. For example, a child that does not like music will not be motivated by earning music tapes. 
4.  Making a daily schedule with the time the chores will be performed is helpful so that it becomes a rountine for the child.
5.  Make sure all the children in the household are participating in chores so that no child feels he is doing more than he should be. 
6. Finally, social praise and excitement about the chore by the caregiver can always helps strengthen the probablity that the child will continue to help out!  Try to use an excited voice, be specific about the childs positive character within the praise and specific about the chore that you are happy with. 
The above tips will increase the enjoyment of the chores and the likelihood that they will perform chores! 

Parents or caregivers often have problems with children running away. This occurs with normal children, children with disabilities, children with behavior problems, children with autism and teenagers often have this problem.  The consequences of running away can be devastating present inconvenience  of time and money to the parent or caregiver. Prevention of this behavior is simple and will cut back on all these consequences for the caregiver.  The following are some ideas to prevent the problem.
Generally the following are ways of making the environment in the home much more reinforcing to the child so that the incentive to leave is reduced. 
1.  Parents or caregivers might make a list of reinforcers for each of the children and try to include them in the home environment. For example, if the child likes games include in the home fun computer games, board games, basketball hoops or other equipment to provide them with this reinforcer in the home when their behavior is good or during leisure time.
2. Similarly, if a child likes certain foods or social attention these should be provided for good behavior in the home and the absence of the behavior of running away.
3. Weekly conversations about how to improve your child's' life at home is also useful
3.  If the behavior of running away occurs then the reinforcers above should not be available for a specified short period of time. Also, parents or caregivers should try not to give to much attention when the running away occurs since this may be reinforcing to the person. For example, yelling, talking to much about it or touching or holding the child in your lap may be reinforcing. This will decrease the likelihood the running away will  occur again. 
Generally, caregivers and parents should realize that the child will run away when things in the home are not as reinforcing as they are in the places the child is running away towards. The increase in the number of reinforcers in the home and the more pleasant the home is the less likely they are to leave.

Thanksgiving can be a time of stress or a time to be close and happy with your family. To make sure the dinner is the later prepare your child for the dinner! The following are some suggestions to make things go more smoothly and prevent behavior problems. 

1. Before thanksgiving involve the child with stories, activities and discussions about thanksgiving and what it means generally.
2.  Review the schedule with your child about what will occur thanksgiving day and what reinforcers you will have scheduled for him/her for good behavior that day.
3.  Make sure to ask the child what reinforcers they would prefer or give them a choice (menu) of different reinforcers. 
4.  Review what reinforcers are chosen for thanksgiving day. Reinforcers are usually most effective following a specific activity. For example, you might include one reinforcer for meal preparation, one for the dinner, a reinforcer for appropriate behavior and social skills during dinner, one for cleaning up or activities after dinner and one for getting ready for bed. 
5.  Discuss what behavior is expected during the day, at dinner and after dinner. 
6.  Engage your child in preparing the meal and setting the table or cleaning up. If they do not have many of these skills then even just wiping the table, stirring the ingredients for the pie or putting away his dish are excellent activities. 
7.  During the meal try not to give your child the reinforcer for social skills and good behavior until he is good for specified period of time or specific behavior. For example, the parent can give him access to the ipod only after he has shared a story or conversation, ate all his meal and sat nicely until the dinner is finished then give him the ipod and desert!! Try to state why the child earned access to the game or other reinforcers so that it is very clear to him what he has to do.
8.  A trial run of a dinner prior to thanksgiving day might be good practice so that all the behaviors and reinforcers are familiar to the child!
In summary, prevention (through scheduling of activities, scheduling reinforcers, practicing good dinner behavior and making sure the child understands what the dinner activities) will be will be more likely lead to wonderful memories of a fun thanksgiving holiday with your family.

Planning a birthday party for a child it is important to analyze your child and decide what his/her reinforcers are. If you spend money on something that is not reinforcing the party may end in tears!  Some children enjoy social attention, some enjoy tangible objects and some enjoy sensory stimulation.


Attention focused partiesIf your child enjoys attention the focus of the party might be on the child and giving him/her attention. For example, games that focus on the child, songs that focus on the birthday child, favorite foods the child likes.  Finally, if a child likes attention a smaller number of guests might be considered so that it is easier focus on the birthday child. If there are alot of children the attention might be diverted to other kids more easily. 

Tangible reinforcers- If your child enjoys tangible reinforcers then the most important things are the actual objects such as gifts, food or activities that he/she likes.  Make sure these items are visible and remind the child that they will be opened or available during the party!  
Sensory reinforcement- If your child likes sensory reinforcement then focus on the sounds perhaps nice music will lead to a more enjoyable experience for the child. Frequently hugging or patting him/her on the back will be crucial if that is what they enjoy. Also, gifts should be geared towards sensory experience of sound or vibration or other tactile stimulation. 


Finally, these reinforcing items should be available contingent on good behavior otherwise the child might spend the whole party playing a computer game and miss the other activities. The other advantage of knowing what types of things are reinforcing to your child is that inappropriate behavior such as crying or tantrums can be avoided by providing items or activities they really enjoy after the child has shown the enthusiasm and smiles and appropriate behavior you want for them at their birthday party. If the party is enjoyable they will have happy memories in the future of their birthday parties and you!

People often start to get agitated and then it escalates into a tantrum. Parents and caregivers often have to   deescalate the situation or calm it down after it occurs. The following is a list of possible steps to take beginning with deescalation and then to calming a situation. Each person is different so an observation and analysis of the tantrum behavior will help and is essential to identify which methods to use.
1.  If the caregiver or parent observes any facial expressions, movements or behavior that show agitation it is best to intervene at this point. The intervention can include relaxation techniques, redirection or a cue word to calm the person down.
2.  Once the behavior starts to begin or even when the precursor facial expressions begin the parent/caregiver can redirect the person to another activity or distract them by discussing another topic.
3.  Another method of deescalation is to provide some relaxation methods for the person. Perhaps the person is tired and the caregiver can ask if they want to lay down or take a drink of water to relax. 
4.  Finally, if the behavior has started to occur then usually removing the person from the environment, moving the audience away or ignoring the person and engaging in another activity will deescalate the behavior. 
5. Finally any major reinforcers such as affection or activities preferred should not occur if the behavior has escalated at all into verbal or physical aggression. 
6. Also, in some cases training or physical management might be necessary if tissue dammage is imminent. 7. 7. However, on of the  best way to avoid aggression or tantrusm from occuring is to fill the time during the day with activities and reinforcers for those activities.Finally one should seek advice of a trained Behavior Analyst for aggression or tantrums. 

Rienforcers are difficult to choose that are effective. Some ideas to make them more effective are listed below.