Behaviour and Communication- the link?
When children have trouble expressing their thoughts and feelings, they may show their frustration. Below are some suggestions:
- Label the feeling you see. Validate it calmly. It is OKAY to feel a certain way. This gives them the vocabulary of feelings and demonstrates how to self-regulate and find a calm state.
- Model the behaviour we want to see. We adults have to deal with our frustrations well if we want to teach our children.
- Teach your child control words such as “no, stop, wait, my turn, me too”. Gestures or pictures can be used if words are not possible yet.
- Observe your child’s body movements, facial expressions and gestures. The words may not fully tell the story.
- Be a detective to figure out what the problem is. Listening and observing are more powerful tools than talking.
- Read the book by Dr. Stuart Shankar called Self-Reg to learn about self-regulation. Connected Parenting by Jennifer Kolari also is a winner.
Speech and language delays may explain the behaviour challenges in part.
If your child needs help with his/her communication skills, contact Sharon at Kids Can Communicate as soon as possible.