When young children misbehave, it’s not because they want to act badly; it’s because they’re having a strong feeling of some kind, and don’t yet have the skill or vocabulary to express it in words.
In that context, rather than discipline or punishment, a helpful adult will work with the child to understand the feeling and find a better way to deal with it.
Here’s an excerpt from a webcast of Hanna Perkins Therapist Deborah Paris, LISW, BCD, on the important concept of behavior as a form of communication – and the important developmental step of learning to give words to feelings.
Image courtesy of Imagerymajestic/Freedigitalphotos.net
22
JUL
2015
JUL
2015
About the Author:
Bob Rosenbaum manages the website and other communications functions for Hanna Perkins Center.