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Simple parenting skills are sometimes referred to as child behavior therapy and one usually thinks of rather expensive sessions with a therapist. Actually, it is not like that at all as the concept is so simple that any parent can apply it to their own situation just by acquiring a course and persisting with it for a few weeks. Basically we set up a system of rewards and benefits for reinforcing positive and good behavior while imposing natural consequences when the behavior does not meet our expectations. Now, if this goes according to plan and you can stick at it for at least a few weeks, you are going to get some very positive results and a much better atmosphere in your home. First, it eliminates a lot of stress as you now know what to do. It is a set routine so there is no arguing, The child can play an active part in modifying his own behavior and is suitably rewarded. This sort of positive reinforcement is much more effective because children like praise and rewards instead of being punished in a variety of bizarre ways. In fact, this type of therapy puts the emphasis on reinforcing the good behavior. This builds confidence and self esteem. It can work for a variety of situations and age groups. We know that child behavior therapy can work with adolescents and it is certainly favoured among the ADHD specialists. It can also be used for those children with other comorbid disorders such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). As in everything, this sort of child behavior therapy has its critics and these have recently been mentioned in Alfie Kohn's book called Unconditional Parenting. He says that basically rewards, punishments, time outs and all the rest have no place in parenting and suggests a whole different approach. But the book is lacking in practical examples of actually how to do this. A better choice here would be the book by Fabef and Mazlish called 'How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk'. But in spite of the criticism, child behavior therapy does really work. You just have to make sure that you are not rewarding the child for everything he does, for example the things he likes doing. There is also a risk that the child will grow up expecting rewards for everything he achieves. There is another risk too in that they will always be out to seek approval and this will not build intrinsic motivation which is the overall aim. So, child behavior therapy can be abused but if applied intelligently, it has been shown to be most effective in parenting with success. . What is the theory behind child behavior therapy? Is it something nore than some simple parenting strategies? Robert Winterson has written on parenting and children's health for many years.
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