Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/challenging-behavior/5019297/
�" Situation �"Elena is sitting at the side of the room kicking at a nearby chair and making popping noises with her mouth. The rest of the children are at story circle, but Elena was sent to the time-out chair for being disruptive. It is difficult to ignore her continued noises.
What causes challenging behavior and what can we do about it? That is a basic question parents and care-givers face everyday. Some needs are easy to meet, others take more work, and some require outside help.
�" Solution �"
(This is the third of a multi-part series about dealing with Challenging Behavior, both at home and school.)
Behavioral sifting: the adult
In our first segment, Challenging Behavior �" Part 1, Conditional Sifting (Exchange, November/December, 2009), we examined the conditions that might influence a child’s behavior. We compared this to the process of removing ordinary sand by addressing common or universal conditions such as hunger, tiredness, or the angst associated with the arrival of a new sibling.
Our second siftings, Challenging Behavior �" Part 2, Behavioral: Child (Exchange, January/February, 2010) focused on the child’s behavior: 1) Age, development and skills; 2) The messages a child’s behavior may be sending about her beliefs (attention, power, revenge ...