Colin and His Apologies



Colin is very much aware lately when he does something he shouldn't be. At home, we use a lot of positive reinforcement but when his behaviors deserve a consequence, we address the behavior and use simple methods like time outs and occasionally, taking something "away" (that could mean not being able to play a game on the ipad he wants, less TV time, etc.). I would say we use a time out most often but I have not allowed him to watch a show if the behavior was more severe (that usually happens when he is most tired like at the end of the night) or play the game he wants.

 



In time out on the boardwalk for yelling at me because I said we were all done with games.

I usually give him a warning if his behavior is nearing a consequence in saying something like "I'm going to count to 5 and if you ___, then you won't be able to ___". It usually gets him to react quickly but if he lets me get to 5, then I have to follow through with the consequence. However lately, he has become smarter in that he will quickly apologize in hopes that he can "get out of" the consequence. He's even throwing in some "love" with it too.

 

For example, after yelling pretty loudly on the boardwalk that he wanted to keep playing his games in the arcade and I gave him the warning that he needed to stop, he continued to yell one more time and then spit his tongue at me. He was put in time out on the boardwalk and when we got back to the car, he asked very nicely if he could play his Jake game (Jake and the Neverland pirates on the ipad). I told him no and why and he said to me "but Mommy, I'm sorry for screaming. I love you so much."

The video below was my attempt at repeating the conversation. In all honesty, it's really hard not to laugh sometimes.