Positive Behavior
Management Cards

"Smile Just Because You Were Caught With Positive Behavior"

For Parents, Teachers, and Therapist To Use With Children Who Have Behavior Managment Issues:

Behavior management is not just about focusing on the negative behaviors of children.

Adults need to celebrate and reward the small positive behavior changes of children that so often go overlooked.

One of the biggest problems I see with behavior management systems is that they are based on children who are expected to be perfect.

I often tell parents and teachers that you can’t expect a child to go from a 2 to a 10 (Scale of 0-10) overnight.

We have to acknowledge and reward the small changes to get to the overall goal. This can take some time.

The behavior management problems did not develop overnight. Therefore, to expect to fix the behavior management problems overnight or in a week or two is unrealistic.

The “Smile Because You Were Caught with Good Behavior Cards” helps parents and teachers reward the small success in a child’s life.

It is helpful to start out with a lower number of cards required to earn a reward. I tell my teachers to start out with a student earning five cards to earn a reward. Each week we increase the amount of cards until we reach ten.

I do not recommend starting out with ten cards, especially with smaller children. It will simply overwhelm the child and the child will lose interest if you try to make them earn too many cards.

Parents and teachers need to be using a positive behavior management plan with children. Remember, children are not little adults.

Try to utilize these cards as an add-on to your positive behavior management reward system. If you need a positive reward behavior management system see the link below to "The Smiley Face Game".

Adults can customize the reward with each card to suit the needs of the child. The reward does not need to be a toy or a piece of candy. Changing the rewards on a regular basis helps. Always give the child a choice for the reward.

I find that children will pick a reward that simply requires the adult to spend time with the child. When I offer these cards to my students they choose to come into my room and play with me and my toys.

I realize that my toys are “play therapy toys”. However, toys need to be played with and can be used as a reward in a behavior management plan.

When I sit down to play with my students or clients I learn much more about them. The more I know my students the better I can counsel them.

The same statement can be said about parenting. I find that I need to remind parents that they need to spend some time with their child each day simply doing what the child wants to do, not what the parent wants to do.

Positive Behavior Management Cards to The Smiley Face Game Reward System

Positive Behavior Management Reward Cards to Behavior Management

Positive Behavior Management Cards to Creative Counseling 101.com Home

Disclaimer: This website and its content is intended for trained licensed mental health professionals and school certified mental health professionals to use for their clients / students at their own discretion.

*If you ignore the disclaimer above are using these techniques on yourself and you feel any discomfort or upset it is highly suggested that you seek out a licensed  mental health professional immediately.

"Beyond Art Therapy" is the concept from Dr. Stangline that combines all creative fields in therapy. It is not the traditional "art therapy" but goes beyond to include sand tray therapy, play therapy, mindfulness, meditation, color therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and a vast majority of other therapies.

For any other type of mental health emergency call your local 911 / Police Number immediately.

Dr. Stangline does not offer advice / suggestions to anyone who is not a professional mental health provider, or a student who is studying this field and has questions about mental health programs of study.