Using strategic attention for
Recognize the behavior:
Throwing a loud tantrum.
Identify what you want to see:
Using strategies to calm down when upset.
Use the Skill:
Try to stay quiet and not say anything. You might sit nearby and model calming skills. When they are calm, be sure to use your PRIDE skills.
-
Purpose:
-
Many parents want to ask "what's wrong?" or tell their child to "calm down" in the middle of a tantrum. This usually makes it harder for children to calm down. It focuses on the tantrum. The extra attention may overstimulate the child. They also have to use mental energy that should be used for regulation to answer questions. Instead, stay quiet, practice calming, and maybe use a when-then statement. This gives your child space to use all their energy to feel their emotions and calm down.
Remember that strategic attention is most helpful when you also use the other PC-CARE skills.
