Troubled Teens Resources

“When the choice is clear - behave and stay with the group or misbehave and be removed - these kids make the right choice, and keep on making it.”

Referred to above are physically aggressive pre-schoolers. The writer notes that a procedure recently implemented in her day care has been effective in reducing aggressive behaviors in those toddlers who has been continuously presenting behavior problems.

It is referred to as Separate,Isolate and Relocate or SIR. The offending toddler is separated from their playmates, isolated in a non-stimulative environment until a parent retrieves them and then sent home where they continue to be isolated in their room - sans play things - and then sent to bed after dinner.

“It generally takes two or three experiences with SIR to persuade an aggressive preschooler of the benefits of non-aggression. Interestingly enough, these children seem to figure out how to behave pro-socially when they aren’t getting their way without anyone counseling them or role-playing with them. In other words, the problem is not a lack of learning, but a lack of motivation. When the choice is clear - behave and stay with the group or misbehave and be removed - these kids make the right choice, and keep on making it.”

The same theory applies to troubled teens. If there are no consequences for poor behavior, they have no motivation to change that behavior. It can’t be said enough, the sure fire way to exercise teen crisis intervention is to prevent the evolution of negative behavior that will necessitate intervention down the road.

“…the mother of a 4-year-old recently reported, “After the first `therapy session,’ he played well with the other kids for two weeks, after which he needed one more trip home and to his room, and that was it.”

(Source)

Consequences are the best teachers around.