
Explore Adler's idea that behavior serves a purpose and Dreikurs' four motivations—attention, power, fairness or revenge, and fear of failure—plus democratic parenting with logical consequences.
Explore how a child fixates on fairness, using threats like 'I hate you' and door slams, arguing over chores, and seeking revenge when promises feel unequal.
Identify how fear of failure makes a child claim they can't do things they can, like riding a bike, and how giving in erodes independence and confidence.
Children's challenging behaviors signal underlying needs and emotions, not malice; their developing brains limit regulation, so caregivers should listen and respond with empathy.
A child with a fear of failure signals belonging only when they get it right, needing others to do it and avoiding trying for fear of not being loved.
Build a child's confidence to tackle hard tasks by recognizing effort and process, providing space to try, and encouraging persistence without doing it for them.
Identify your child’s main needs and triggers, then apply consistent before, during, and after strategies to meet those needs, reduce attention demands, and help them trust themselves.
Children do not act up just to drive us crazy- even if that's how it seems. Their behavior is communicating an underlying need that they feel isn't being met in that moment.
Every child desires to feel loved and accepted- like they belong. However, these feelings are gained in different ways for different children. Some feel loved when they get attention, while others feel they belong when they are in charge. There are children who focus on fairness, feeling like they aren't loved when things aren't equal. And there are those who have a fear of failure, thinking they won't be loved if they don't do something well.
This course will go through the four main motivations behind childhood challenging behaviors- attention, power, fairness, and fear- discuss the underlying needs, and then provide steps for how to meet the need and modify the challenging behavior.
At the end of this course, you should have a better understanding of why your child behaves the way they do, and what to do about it.
This course is taught by Erin Hinton, director and teacher at James Marshall Parent Nursery School in West Sacramento, CA. Her 13 years in the early education classroom and 21 years raising children do not make her an expert, but they do provide a unique blend of practical knowledge and book smarts that allow her to pass on the wisdom and understanding of young children that she has gained over that time.