IF YOUR CHILD...is impulsive

1.   Establish a rule (e.g., stop and think before acting).   This rule should be consistent and followed by everyone in the home.   Talk about the rule often.
   
   
2.   Reward your child for thinking before acting.   Possible rewards include verbal praise, a kiss on the cheek, a hug, having a friend over to play, staying up late, watching a favorite TV show, and playing a game with a parent.
   
   
3.   If there are other children or adolescents in the home, reward them for thinking first before acting
   
   
4.   Carefully consider your child's age before expecting him/her to always think before acting
   
   
5.   Show your child how to stop and think before acting
   
   
6.   Make sure that you stop and think before acting in order to teach your child to do the same
   
   
7.   When your child acts without thinking, explain exactly what he/she is doing wrong, what should be done and why.   For example....You ask your child to clean his/her room and he/she immediately starts arguing with you.   Get your child's attention and say, "William, you are arguing with me.   You need to stop and think about your behavior and the consequences that will occur."
   
   
8.   Write a contract with your child.   For example.... I, William, will stop and think before I get angry with others.   Each time that I do this, I can earn a nickel.
   The contract should be written within the ability level of your child and should focus on only one behavior at a time.
   
   
9.   Allow natural consequences to occur as a result of your child's failure to think before acting.
   
   
10.   Make certain that your child sees the relationship between his/her behavior and the consequences which follow
    
    
11.   Immediately remove your child from the situation until he/she can demonstrate acceptable behavior and self-control
    
    
12.   Supervise in order to make sure your child thinks before acting
    
    
13.   Remind your child to "stop and think" when beginning to do something without thinking first
    
    
14.   Immediately stop your child from behaving inappropriately and discuss the consequences of the behavior
    
    
15.   Provide constant, positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior.   Ignore as many inappropriate behaviors as possible
    
    
16.   Prevent your child from becoming over-stimulated by an activity
    
    
17.   Provide your child with a clearly identified list of consequences for inappropriate behavior
    
    
18.   Talk with your family doctor, a school official, a social worker, a mental health worker, etc., about your child's failure to consider the consequences of the behavior
    
    
19.   Teach your child ways to settle down (e.g., counting to 10, saying the alphabet, walking away, etc.) when there is a need to slow down and think about what he/she is doing
    
    
20.   Remove your child from a group or activity until he/she can demonstrate self-control
    
    
21.   Make it possible for your child to earn those things your child wants or needs so that he/she will not have to engage in inappropriate behavior to get what is desired
    
    
22.   Do not make it too difficult for your child to earn those things he/she wants.   If it is too difficult to earn something, the negative consequences of getting it in an inappropriate way may seem like a worthwhile risk
    
    
23.   Each time a consequence is delivered, whether it is positive or negative, have your child explain to you why it is happening
    
    
24.   Make certain your child understands that consequences naturally follow behavior, whether it is your child's, yours, or someone else's.   It is your child's own behavior that makes the consequence occur
    
    
25.   Reduce the opportunity to act impulsively by limiting decision making.   Gradually increase opportunities for decision making as the student demonstrates success
    
    
26.   Make necessary adjustments in the environment to prevent your child from experiencing stress, impatience, frustration, etc.
    
    
27.   Teach your child to verbalize feelings before losing control
    
    
28.   Provide your child with a place to go when becoming overly excited
    
    
29.   Remind your child when he/she begins to lose control by saying (e.g., "you need to count to 10", "calm down")
    
    
30.   Teach your child ways to deal with conflict situations
    
    
31.   Monitor the behavior of others to make certain they are not teasing or otherwise stimulating your child to lose control
    
    
32. &nbps; Look for warning signs that your child is getting upset or angry and intervene to change the activity
    
    
33.   Reduce emphasis on competition.   Highly competitive activities may stimulate impulsive behavior
    
    
34.   Teach your child decision making steps: (a) think about how other persons may be influenced, (b) think about consequences, (c) carefully consider the unique situation, (d) think of different courses of action which are possible, and (e) think about what is ultimately best for him/her
    
    
35.   "Prepare" your child in advance for those things which you know will occur (changes in routine)
    
    
36.   Maintain as much of a routine as possible for your child to follow in order to increase stable behavior
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
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