Let’s talk about something every parent deals with—challenging behaviors. In ABA, this is called Behavior Reduction, but don’t worry, it’s not about “punishing” your child. It’s about understanding the behavior and helping your child do better.
What It Means
Behavior reduction is all about applying strategies to decrease behaviors that get in the way of learning or daily life. These might be tantrums, screaming, hitting, or refusal to do tasks.
It’s important to remember—it’s not about shaming or punishing your child, but about teaching them better ways to communicate or cope.
Real-Life Example
- My child used to scream when asked to clean up toys.
- Instead of scolding, I first looked at why it was happening—through a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA).
- We discovered it was because the task felt too big and overwhelming.
- So, we broke the task into smaller steps, praised attempts, and used a small reward system.
- Over time, the screaming decreased, and my child started cleaning up independently and calmly.
Another example: tantrums over snacks.
- Instead of saying “no yelling!”, we taught the child to ask for a snack politely and rewarded that behavior.
- The negative behavior decreased naturally, and the positive behavior increased.
Why Behavior Reduction Matters
- Reduces stress for both child and parent
- Helps your child learn better ways to communicate or cope
- Makes therapy and learning more effective
- Focuses on teaching skills, not punishing behaviors
💡 Tip from My Experience:
Always ask yourself: “Why is my child doing this behavior?” The answer will guide your strategy. Behavior reduction works best when paired with teaching new skills and positive reinforcement.
Want more practical ABA tips from a parent’s perspective?
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