13 Phrases That Promote Positive Behaviors In Children
On many occasions, we parents find it very difficult, if not impossible, to bear our children’s negative attitudes. Faced with these situations, it is possible that we end up scolding, reprimanding or punishing them. These reactions have been shown to damage their emotional development; consequently, it is better to use phrases that promote positive behavior.
The theories of psychologists and pedagogists offer us alternatives that are much more effective than punishments and that have the additional advantage of preventing the bad behavior in question from recurring again.
There are phrases we can use to encourage our children to adopt positive behaviors. If you want to know what they are, keep reading this article.
Phrases that promote positive behaviors
If you do (a certain action), then you can (receive a reward)
Reinforcing positive behaviors has been found to be much better and more effective than punishing bad actions in a negative sense. If we want a certain attitude to repeat itself, we need to reinforce it. If, on the other hand, we want to eliminate it, we must avoid producing a reinforcement: punishment also represents a reinforcement, even if in a negative sense.
The rewards will be of a non-material nature, such as playing with them, going to the park together, going to the cinema, going for a bike ride, going for a trip to the countryside, etc.
I know you can do better
It is important to make children understand that we believe they are able to behave better and do things well.
I am very proud of you: one of the best phrases that promote positive behavior
It is good that your child realizes that you are happy with his results and his efforts, even if the task on his part has not been done in the best possible way. This way we motivate him to make him do it better next time.
If you keep acting like this, I won’t pay attention to you
Scolding him or talking to him to explain what he has done wrong will have no effect other than reinforcing this bad behavior. This way we are just paying our attention to him when he has done something negative. It is best to leave or temporarily remove him from us, to avoid giving more attention to this negative behavior.
We must tell the truth, without ever lying
Many children lie because they are afraid of reproach or because they are unable to distinguish reality from fantasy. So when our son tells the truth, we have to reward him. We have to commend the courage he showed in telling what he did.
Let’s calm down and look for a solution
Sometimes, babies cry desperately because we refuse to satisfy some whim of theirs. It is important that we stand firm in our decisions. We can help the little one calm down and look for an alternative that will give him the same joy.
Other phrases that promote positive behaviors in children
Try it again
If there is something the child has not done well, instead of insisting that he did it wrong, we should offer him the opportunity to try again, so that he can do it better and correct his mistake in this way.
I love you
Telling our child that we love him and constantly reminding him of it will help him enjoy good self-esteem, behave better and be more positive.
Do you remember that you had to …? You have done… ?
Instead of scolding or scolding your child for not doing a certain task and ending up doing it yourself, it is better to give small positive reprimands. To encourage him to do one thing, we can just remind him what to do.
You were wrong, but we can learn from our mistakes – another of the best phrases that promote positive behavior
It is much better for the children themselves to realize that they are wrong, rather than being told by us: “I told you so”. Children are just like us adults: they don’t learn until they make their mistakes.
When you need me, I will help you
In this way, we will show the child that if he needs something, we will always be there. Reminding him of this will help him to turn to you at a certain moment if he feels lost.
I believe you and I know you will
When our child tells us he will do something, we must give him the confidence he needs: in this way we will motivate him to use all his efforts to succeed.
I know you did it unwittingly: the last of the phrases that promote positive behavior
This sentence will ensure that the child does not repeat the negative behavior the next time, because you have believed him and have responded with all your trust.
Now that you know the phrases that promote positive behavior in your children, it’s time to put them into practice. It is important to notice when the little ones are doing something good and to reinforce them by saying how much we love them and how proud we are of them. Use these phrases in your daily life and you can see the positive results in the child’s behavior that will result.
