Where to start with behaviour & family challenges?

Charmaine Champ Author

Family life can be challenging in so many different ways. Within this blog we focus on behaviours and how to help as a family.

As a family it can often feel like a juggling act with work, children, marriage, friends, family, nursery, school, college, support in learning new skills like toileting, homework, activities, clubs, exercise, food shopping, mealtimes, playtimes, bedtimes, to name just a few. 

With our children with additional needs, we also have the added commitments of meetings with various different professionals, reviews, hospital appointments, assessments, form filling, ordering medical supplies and so much more in between! Family life really can be challenging at times.

When experiencing added pressures and responsibilities, as an adult, or as a parent our behaviour can present in different ways. With the addition of hunger, tiredness and the possible need to use the toilet our behaviours can intensify or worsen. This results in overwhelming responses.

As an adult or parent we are able to feel the build up of feelings, can often identify "why" the feelings or behavioural responses are occurring, because, from experience we know that: 

• Eating can reduce hunger feelings
• Relaxing or sleeping can reduce tired feelings
• Using the toilet to pass either a wee or a poo, can reduce the need to use the toilet
• And speaking with friends, family or colleagues and sharing responsibilities and reviewing our "things to do" list, can reduce the pressures we may be experiencing.

Behaviour can present in many different ways, with our children aswell, including raising of the voice, shouting, screaming, kicking, hitting out, pushing others, running away, hiding and many many more. The difference between our responses as a parent and our childrens responses are how we can express ourselves. Our children are learning and associating pictures and words with actions, feelings and activities. Often our children struggle to know what to say and how to say it.

Our children, "are children" which means they are learning, learning to understand changes inside their body and outside of their body and learning what to do. This therefore means that our children may not know "why" they are behaving and responding the way that they are, because they may not know "what" the feeling or sensation is. It also means that our children may not respond in the right way for the given situation.

What is behaviour?

Behaviour with us as adults, parents and our children is a form of communication. Behaviour presents differently with different people because of experience, understanding, interpretation and expression.

Do you know where to start with behaviour and family challenges? 

We can start helping our children, and our family, through learning more about why behaviour happens, identify the trigger for your child and understand that behaviour is an unmet need, that our children need support with. 

Overwhelm can occur, either internally within the body or externally outside of the body, with changes in routines, increased demands or expectations and more. During overwhelming feelings, children may not be feeling safe within their body or their environment. 

To reduce family challenges, routine and structured daily activities can provide the predictability our children seek. 

Children are not able to implement routines and structure independently, therefore need the support from us as an adult or parent.

1. Understand what may be influencing your child's behaviour, by looking at what is happening inside your child's body and their daily patterns. Feel free to download our FREE chart: Gut Health Tracker
2. Understand "why" behaviours occur further, through downloading our Free information. Click here to download your FREE copy today: Understanding Behaviour
3. Joining us for LIVE and recorded ongoing emotional and behavioural support with our online support group, How to get the PEE and Poo in the Loo! where we explore emotions in depth. Click here: How to get the PEE and Poo in the loo!, 
4. For a one to one, individual approach, support is available through a Parenting Support Package. A Parenting Support Package includes an in depth meeting with you as a family and a step by step plan of exactly where to start and what to do. Contact us, via the website, clicking on "contact us" to arrange your one to one support approach: www.clearstepsconsultancy.co.uk 

How can Clear Steps Consultancy help you further with your family?

Charmaine, at Clear Steps Consultancy supports children with and without a diagnosis, additional needs, their families, schools, organisations, charities and professionals in progressing and being successful with Toileting, Sleeping and Understanding Behaviour.  Support available to help with Behaviour, is as individual as the children, families and schools themselves, from online support to one to one Parenting Support Packages to Comprehensive assessments.

Charmaine, helps children progress with behaviour, through the FREE Download Understanding Behaviour, Parenting Support Packages, and Comprehensive in-depth Behaviour Assessment Packages with two, three or four assessments, visit our website to find out more: www.clearstepsconsultancy.co.uk 

Help and support really is available!

Start helping your child, by understanding behaviour today!

Categories: : Behaviour, Family