Hey hey hey! Happy Sunday! I'm here with the PRAISE OF THE WEEK! Good manners!
I love this one! I use it almost everyday, especially at the dinner table. Something PCIT teaches you is to ignore negative minor misbehavior and praise the positive opposite. For example: negative behavior= poor table manners- chewing with mouth open, not using utensils, throwing food, playing with food, not sitting on their bottom, etc. Positive opposite= good table manners.
If you child chews with their mouth open, then the next time you catch them chewing with their mouth closed- immediately praise it. You can say "Great manners!" And the icing on the cake is to tell them what they had good manners for so they can repeat that behavior again. "Thanks for chewing with your mouth closed." So If you combine them: "Great manners! Thanks for chewing with your mouth closed." BOOM! 2 labeled praises and you just increased the likelihood they will use good table manners again!
Try it out this week and let me know how it goes!
-Katie Smith, LCSW, Certified PCIT Global Trainer, mom of littles