BACK TALK  
(age appropriate) 

Telling a child to stop saying something becomes a power struggle that more often than not, the child wins.  Remember, your ally is BOREDOM. Initially, I would ignore the comment. Behavior that is rewarded continues, behavior that is not rewarded stops.

If that doesn’t work, use boredom: Sit down with the child and in the most oatmeal tone of voice you can muster, take off on a spiel, “You think that saying those words to me will bother me. I ate my calm cereal today, so it isn’t going to work. “ (THIS IS THE BORING PART). “You are angry you can’t have your way. That’s ok.  (THIS IS THE TEACHING PART).  Calling me a name or talking back to me will earn you this same talk over and over again.  Go for it.”

If the child repeats the comment, say exactly what you just said in as bland a voice as possible. The child will get bored. Any time the child talks back, sit down and start your boring message. My guess is that the child will stop the behavior as that child (once again) hates to be bored

 

  

 

 

 

Copyright (C) Sandy Spurgeon McDaniel, 2000