When-Then/If-Then

Using when-then & if-then statements for

Recognize the behavior:

Hits or bites a sibling who took their toy.

Identify what you want to see:

Staying calm and asking for help when the sibling takes the toy.

Use the Skill:

Intervene right away for aggression. For example, “If you hit your sibling again, you will have to play in another room.”

Purpose:
When-then & if-then statements show children what will happen when they make certain choices. Harming other people or yourself is not ok. You can use if-then statements to intervene right away and let them know the consequence of aggression. Look for other times that your child is gentle and kind. Make sure to point out the positive consequences of this too! For example, "When you're kind, your sibling shares better."

Remember that when-then & if-then statements are most helpful when you also use the other PC-CARE skills.