This month, we’re giving away the Best Behavior® series board books or paperbacks, including new arrival Screen Time Is Not Forever!
One lucky reader will select the complete set of durable board books for ages 1–4 or the expanded paperbacks for ages 4–7 with more advanced vocabulary and suggestions for older children.
To Enter: Leave a comment below describing how you encourage positive behavior in children.
For additional entries, leave a separate comment below for each of the following tasks you complete:
Each comment counts as a separate entry. Entries must be received by midnight, August 20, 2021.
The winner will be contacted via email on or around August 20, 2021, and will need to respond within 72 hours to claim the prize or another winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with, administered, or endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Winners must be US residents, 18 years of age or older.
© 2021 by Free Spirit Publishing. All rights reserved. The views expressed in this post represent the opinion of the author and not necessarily Free Spirit Publishing.
I am an occupational therapy practitioner working in outpatient pediatrics for the last 21+ years. I just received your new catalogue and have circled so many things. In post Covid world, our children are suffering. Fine motor and gross motor skills are taking a back seat to social emotional learning and life skills for most children. All of your book series are excellent to address these needs. I use them daily to provide an outside perspective to children without pointing a finger at them to tell them what they’re doing wrong. Your books provide a real life example of how to handle and manage most difficulties for our kiddos. Thank you Free Spirit for helping me to do my job in a fun and engaging way!
Darlene Shumchenia,
Cranston RI
I love using your books for first graders. Kids can relate to the characters and the language is kid friendly. The last page, with suggestions for parents and teachers is a bonus.
I use positive feedback, high fives, etc. We have daily positive mantras and quotes. Character education is social-emotional skills are built into our service-learning project.
Recognizing the giftedness in children and naming that with specific language establishes trust and helps me focus on the positive in them which helps draw them into positive choices. Being clear about boundaries and being consistent in holding everyone accountable for the rules creates a sense of safety and positivity.
Give students high quality attention when engaged in positive behaviors to reinforce the behaviors. Use “emotionally nutritious” words to reinforce their behavior by stating what you see and link it to a positive character trait. Utilize a 5:1 ratio of positive feedeback to 1 negative.
Model positive behavior, discuss the problem behavior(s) & role play better choices
Social and emotional learning are the most important aspect of our classroom. We focus on respect, communication, and nurturing one another to be the best we can be. One of my first and foremost ways of modeling respect is to always quietly and calmly ask students how they are doing if they are not doing or behaving the way they are supposed to as a first check-in. As a second check-in, I squat down so they have to look down at me giving them a sense of control. Third and last resort, is to pull them into the hall and ask them if there is something I have done to upset them or hurt their feelings for them to be misbehaving or not working. Students are usually shocked at the respect they feel from me as I explain that I always want them to feel respected and valued. I ask them how I can help, what do they need, and how can I be a better facilitator for them.
I work as a counselor in schools and the community as well as a consultant to parents and professionals to help educate and promote prosocial behavior.
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Offering choices and specific praise.
As a School Counselor, I encourage positive behavior in children by teaching and modeling positive behavior. We celebrate kindness, anti-bullying and positive character traits.
Redirect for younger children logical consequences for older children
I use long term earned positive reinforcement, building up the child’s self esteem and I am consistent with my voice tone ad the message i want to relay.
I have used these books to help teachers and parents teach children about the behaviors they would like to see instead of focusing on the behaviors they don’t like – as a therapist and mental health clinician. Kids love these books because it helps them understand what adults are wanting, decreases anxiety and shame.
I encourage positive behavior in children by acknowledging their behavior and feelings and by modeling age appropriate behavior that I want them to display.
I use verbal praise, stickers, visuals, positive behavior support plans
I run a Childcare at home. In the morning when the children come in, I am already setting a positive mood by smiling, greeting them with enthusiasm accompanied by a welcoming hug or high five.
It starts with a positive mindset to encourage positive behavior by learning through interactive play through learning tools and storytelling using puppets. Another way is children learn from adults through mimicking what they do. I am mindful of how I speak, react and how I deal with an issue with calmness and avoiding overreacting . Encouraging them to express their feelings and acknowledging that it is normal to feel that way.
That way a child will learn to manage their issues with calmness and knowing that parents and we as childcare providers, will be there for them to listen and to encourage for as long as they need us.
Role modelling and reinforcement of positive behaviours. Using ORAL language that each child understands, through their play and choices they make. Reading books about behaviours to help children visualise good behaviours.
I encourage positive behaviors as I was taught. Openly and repetitively until it is demonstrated. Sometimes that may be over and over. After maybe, 2 reminders, I tell them it’s time to talk, or time to work it out on the steps with Grandma. We get cozy, get clear on the problem, and practice the better choice. I thank them for their help working on this and send them back to play, or eat.
Make a rule chart so child know expectations.
We use role modeling
The strategies we use to improve the behaviors of my children when they have a misunderstanding is to separate ourselves, after identifying their emotions and then talking to the person who is upset.
The strategies we use to improve the behaviors of my children when they have a misunderstanding is to separate ourselves, after identifying their emotions and then talking to the person who is upset.
We painting and sing song
Encourage positive behavior by first curing myself and taking care of myself in order to provide a good example for children. Provide and show children the power of the mind, of selfcare, provide ideas to children by doing activities, readying books, and playing.
For myself to take time and “Be in their Moment”, “take a walk in their shoes”, practice calming strategies for the children to see myself doing and them. To smile often and saying I love you and letting the children know it will be ok. We are all growing together.
model tgry my own behavior & working on incorporating a research based SEL program with my class
I like to me a positive role model to children of all ages. I acknowledge children’s feelings and let them know we all have them and that’s it’s ok. I redirect children with positive words, body language and tone of voice. When in the classroom or household setting I try to honor the child’s feeling and not just dismiss them.
Encourage family dinners and family meetings to help build the entire family bond.
I make sure to share what TO DO vs. a lot of Don’ts.
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So many ways to encourage positive behavior in young children. Modeling appropriate behavior, setting expectations and reviewing them as well as rules frequently, specific praise, incorporating social-emotional lessons into everyday activities, books, social stories, play, reinfrocement.
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By modeling positive behavior and having positive relationships with the children. Stories are used also.
To encourage positive behavior on children’s. I redirect, reassure and provide positive recognition by “noticing” comments. For example: Oh, I notice you made that all by yourself, that is awesome!
“I notice you helped your friend get her water bottle, that is helpful”. You did that all by yourself!.
I see you are trying hard to put on your shoes, you can do it!. Allowing the child to feel that I am present and noticing their efforts. Redirecting children by giving them the opportunity to understand choices and consequences. for example.
A child in the block area is throwing blocks.
I see you feel like throwing something around, but remember, blocks are not for throwing, they are for building things. We might hurts someone when we throw the blocks around. When we go outside, we have many balls to throw.
Going back to see if the child stops or continues to throw the blocks. If the child begins to build something. I can reconnect to my initial comment.
Wow! that looks awesome (Whatever the child is building) Tell me what you are building.
I try to encourage positive behavior by seeing and recognizing children’s individual strengths, and offering gentle reminders of them when they’re faced with challenges.
I focus on being a good listener. I do not give a lot of instructions, so when I do make a request, I hope that it will get noticed. Sue Chehrenegar
By acknowledging feelings and reinforcing positive behaviors.
Modeling/being who you want children to be is by far the ‘most’ effective, inspirational, convincing, and beneficial method of empowerment to change!
PRAISE. Specific, genuine and frequent. It’s magic.
I encourage positive behavior in children by pointing out the behaviors I believe to be positive and by not giving as much attention to the behaviors that are negative.
I encourage children to talk about their feelings. I make sure they feel safe expressing those feelings but at the same time I am clear of the expectations I have from them and if, after we talk about it, the expectations have not been met together we figure out how to meet them. If consequences are necessary, we also talk about why they are necessary. I prefer to talk to children and explain and steer away from yelling and having the child feel belittled and not heard and try to avoid causing them to feel like their feelings do not matter because they very much do! This is the time when they develop their emotional stability and confidence.
I ENCOURAGE THE CHILDREN TO BE THE BEST THEM THEY CAN BE. CHALLENGE THE UNKNOWN AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE CHALLENGE
I support 3 and 4 yr old special needs students. Positive affirmations (verbal praise, thumbs up, a smile) works so well. I also work with the gen ed teachers supporting these children to stop the narrative of “stop doing____”, to “great job doing____” . Positive not punitive0works for grown ups too 🙂
Model good behavior
I incorporate positive behavior through social stories, puppet play roles of problem-solving skills and reading books to our young learners.
Modeling and positive reinforcement. Prizing rather than praising. Reading great books.
I provide a peaceful palace area where children can decompress or just have a quiet place. It is a palace in which they can sit and read a social story, cuddle with a plushie, use emotion posters to ID feelings, use various fidgets, observe swimming fish, or just be alone. We work on building self-regulation and resiliency. It is Ok to have all sorts of feelings and we work on how to process through them..
I would love to add the paperback titles into our media collection so teachers could use these books in their lessons. These books would also be handy for our counselor, social worker, speech teacher, and other specialists when they work 1-1 or with small groups of students.
Catch them being good and comment.
Use time-in with children, not time-out.
I support families to set up proactive expectations and routines to decrease challenges as well as strategies to support pro social skills. I used these books in Head Start and Early Head Start to support children and families.
Positive behavior can me practiced with games and activities.
Using dolls to create scenes and practice skills helps too!
Avoiding “no, don’t, stop” is helpful!
Modeling appropriate behavior and telling the child what you want them to do instead of what you want them not to do is how I like to encourage positive behavior.
Model, model and then model some more 🙂
Read books that show positive behavior, posters, use puppets, tell them good job etc. Teach them kind words to ask for things and Sing songs
I’m leaning hard into seeking to understand the behavior and all that came before it before moving forward. Pausing myself FIRST.
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I encourage positive behavior in my young daughter (who is a toddler) by explaining what the appropriate behavior is (i.e. hands are for clapping or hugging). I encourage positive behavior with the preschool and elementary age children I work with by reminding them of school rules and also spot lighting their good behaviors (thank you for sharing, thank you for talking quietly, etc.).
To encourage positive behavior in children we must first teach by example. Be a positive role model and remain calm as well as consistent. When problems arise with younger children, suggest a few ways the children can resolve their conflict; with older children, ask them how they could reach an accord. Negotiation by expressing one’s feelings and thoughts is a vital social emotional skill. There are several ideas from Becky Bailey’s Conscious Discipline theories that are relationship building. Also understanding the cause of negative behavior through programs like Flip-It can be very effective. With any approach, be patient and persevere… change doesn’t happen overnight. Making changes is difficult for all of us.
In our classroom we continuously are providing positive descriptive feedback to children for practicing our expectations (be safe, be respectful, be responsible), for being good friends to one another, for solving problems, and for expressing their emotions in appropriate ways. Children work together by being safe, respectful and responsible they earn things like pajama parties, bring a toy from home, glow stick dance party, etc.
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I encourage positive behavior in children by acknowledging when they are doing something good or being kind to someone.
The board books would be amazing for my 4K program!
I encourage positive behavior by making sure I praise them for their positive actions. Then, I’ll let them do something they enjoy: color, watch a tv show, sensory play, etc.
to help them to stop and think before responding/ reacting. to help them process their thoughts.
I encourage positive behavior by getting on the child’s eye level, smiling, and (if the child is agreeable) establishing eye contact while saying “I really like that choice you made…I feel so proud of you when I see you______.”
As situations arise in the class room, we love grabbing a book from this series to read about it in that moment. We love this series.
I’m a clinical social worker and I meet with kids and families to support healthy loving environments.
Encouraging positive behavior is providing specific feedback when a child makes a good choice as well as using language to support the youngest children as they work through behaviors or hitting, taking toys etc. Stories are a great way to reinforce the language and the modeling done in the classrooms.