Plan for a tough situation

Toolkit Reminder

That’s all the episodes done for now. Everything you’ve learned so far can be found in your parenting Toolkit. 

Find your partner, tell them it’s their turn, get back to what you were doing

Game plan, rehearse, explain the plan, coach as you go, review

Plan rewards and a practice run before hand

Leave it until right before the situation to explain.

Perform a dramatic re-enactment of what’s gone wrong in the past

Ask your child to listen up and keep quiet

Give your child plenty of notice and explain well ahead of time

State the rules positively (example: ‘play nicely’)

State the rules negatively so it’s clearer (Example: ‘don’t fight’)

Stick to being serious so your child knows it’s important

Demand Oscar winning performances from all involved

Discuss what went well, not so well and reward your child’s positive behavior.

A peaceful BBQ with friends takes a turn. See how Dave navigates and handles misbehavior outside the home.

dad has bad dream, then yells at kid chasing bird

While time-out is one part of the plan, making it your first comment is somewhat negative. It may also sound like a threat, which we want to avoid.

Try Again

Dad ignores Ollie and keen to catch-up with his friends

Hey, those sausages aren’t going to cook themselves! However, immediately wandering off and doing your own thing might not be the best move.

No, I haven’t tried any of the Family Man techniques yet

While your first thought might be to try and forget it ever happened, checking-in with your child once the event or situation is over is a really important learning opportunity.

In these moments you can reward positive behaviour, discuss misbehaviour, and clearly state any changes you want to see the next time the child is in the situation.

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