Step 4: Find something more appropriate for your child to do instead

If you are going to be successful in reducing challenging behaviour, it is essential to make sure your child understands what they can do instead.

Examples of replacement behaviours

Challenging behaviour	Replacement behaviour
Screaming Hitting teacher Touching other people’s clothes Fidgeting with hands Shouting Walking on tiptoes Picking up items in shops Punching parents or siblings Kicking people	communicating properly requesting a break using a stress-ball hands on knees or sit on hands counting backwards from 20 walking heel to toe hands in pockets, look and don’t touch punching a cushion kicking a football against a wall

Challenging behaviour

Replacement behaviour

Screaming

Hitting teacher

Touching other people’s clothes

Fidgeting with hands

Shouting

Walking on tiptoes

Picking up items in shops

Punching parents or siblings

Kicking people

communicating properly

requesting a break

using a stress-ball

hands on knees or sit on hands

counting backwards from 20

walking heel to toe

hands in pockets, look and don’t touch

punching a cushion

kicking a football against a wall

"When Michael’s doing something wrong, I give him an alternative to do instead. Because of his language being delayed I use the words 'hello' & 'goodbye' to explain. So, for example, if Michael was jumping on my bed I would say 'bye bye jump on mummy’s bed, hello jump on trampoline' or 'bye bye sitting on doggy, hello cuddle doggy' etc, it still works with him now." (Parent)

Don’t reward the behaviour you want to reduce, and reward the behaviour you want to increase. Rewards can take the form of attention, praise, sensory stimulation, access to a toy or game or food.

Step 4: Find something more appropriate for your child to do instead

Examples of replacement behaviours

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