Here are some basic suggestions for guiding your child's behaviour:

• Express your love and respect for your child each day.



• Notice your child's good behaviour and her efforts to make things work.



• Plan ahead to provide a safe play space with interesting and age-appropriate activities.



• Be predictable by providing a routine, being consistent and following through on consequences.



• Set up reasonable limits, expectations, and consequences that relate to each of your children's ages and temperaments.



• Communicate rules, limits and consequences clearly.



• Gradually teach your child to handle a range of emotions.



• Redirect, distract or use humour to help your child to calm down.



• Offer choices and let her learn from consequences.



• Be a model for good problem-solving, negotiating and understanding of others, as well as the behaviours you want your child to have - teach and lead instead of using force.



• Be firm but have realistic expectations.



• Remember, it takes time for children to learn acceptable behaviours.

Adapted from: Landy, Sarah. (2002). Pathways to Competence: A Program to Encourage Healthy Social and Emotional Development in Young Children.