Undue attention

How to identify:

1. The adult feels/thinks: annoyed; worried

2. The adult tends to: reminding; coaxing; doing things that the child could do for himself

3. The child’s response is:

-Stop temporarily but resume the same (or another challenging behaviour)

-Stop when given one-to-one attention or something special

Belief Behind children:

• I belong only when I’m getting noticed or getting special service
• I‘m important only when I’m keeping you busy with me

Encouragement to undue attention:

1. Meaningful involvement - get attention in useful ways

   -Ignore misbehaviour while redirecting a child to get attention in useful way

2. Teach non-verbal signals

   -gently place a hand on your arm to let you know she is needed

   -make eye contact with the child, hold up an index finger, then resume what you are doing

3. Special attention before the child seeks undue attention

   -commnet on something that makes each child feels special

   -greet children individually