Chapter 9 - Arranging the Environment

Preparing Your Child for Changes in His/Her Environment.

Many unacceptable behaviors can be prevented by preparing your child ahead of time for changes that are coming. For example, when preparing a child for bedtime by saying, "it'll be time to go to bed in five minutes". If it is time to leave for school, you might say, "we'll have to leave for school in a couple of minutes". Children can often adjust to changes more easily if you let them know ahead of time what will be happening.

Whenever you are asking your child to leave something that he/she is enjoying or is deeply attending to, you will find that giving them notice of a change ahead of time, will help him/her to cooperate.

Some times you could practice preparation are:

• Going to bed.
• Leaving for school.
• Taking a bath.
• Putting toys away.