Train the environment first
Parent training in behavior management teaches exactly this: clear instructions, immediate positive consequences, consistent routines. Short bursts with visible timers beat long stretches of sitting still, and transitions warned in advance prevent most explosions.
Support the senses
Watch for the pattern: seeking or avoiding movement, noise, touch, light. Adjust the environment first - quieter corner, movement breaks, fidget options - because it works immediately and costs nothing.
Structure the home
The AAP recommends simplifying and organizing the home environment: launch pads by the door, visual checklists, one-step instructions, a labeled home for everything. External order lends children the executive function they are still building.
Go deeper
On this shelf
- The 15-Minute Rescue: regulation activities
- Bedtime stories for big feelings
- The Twinkens shelf: all titles
Sources
