SOS Help for Parents A Practical Guide for Handling Common Everyday Behavior Problems

This second edition of “SOS” provides parents with guidance for handling a variety of common behavior problems based on the behavior approach to child rearing and discipline. This approach suggests that good and bad behavior are both learned and can be changed, and proposes specific methods, skills, procedures, and strategies for parents to use in getting improved behavior from their children. The guide is divided into four sections. Section 1 presents some fundamentals of child behavior and effective discipline. Some of the causes of children’s misbehavior are examined as well as ways of increasing good behavior and eliminating bad ones. Section 2 provides advice for implementing the “time-out” method. Section 3 gives suggestions on how to: (1) manage bad behavior away from home; (2) use points, tokens, and contracts; (3) use time-out on two children at the same time; (4) use time-out on a toy instead of the child; (5) handle aggressive and dangerous behavior; and (6) help children express feelings. Section 4 suggests some additional resources for helping children. Each chapter includes a review of the most important ideas and instructions presented. The book’s two appendices include an index of problem behaviors, quizzes and answers for parents, more resources for professionals, and tear-out sheets for parents and teachers. Approximately 60 references are included. A videotape, not available from ERIC, demonstrates the child-rearing rules, and errors to avoid, as well as other child management methods. A printed “Video Leader’s Guide” for the training leaders provides objectives, suggested outlines for workshops, and guidelines for discussing the behavior vignettes in the video. Workshop evaluation forms and handouts are appended. A parent audio cassette on how to use “time out” effectively is also part of this multimedia package. (HTH)