128 social skills
Ways to manage behavior that do not work well
Families with deaf children may be faced with behavior problems they
do not know how to handle. They sometimes use solutions that work for
them at the moment — even if those ways do not help the child learn
good behavior. Here are some examples of things that do not work well:
• Using commands without explaining the reasons for them
or what they mean. This prevents the child from making
good decisions by himself.
• Punishing a child who is deaf more than other
children. Physical abuse can make a child depressed
and violent.
• Allowing the misbehavior of a child who cannot
hear well to continue without correcting it. This
makes the child more socially isolated.
• Keeping a child who cannot hear well at home
more than other children. This holds back the
child’s social development.
While these methods may seem to work for the
moment, they will not help a child learn how to
behave well or interact with other people.
All parents want their children to behave well and grow up to be
accepted members of the community. For your child to develop
self-control, your own self-control can be a model. Show your child the
kind of behavior that makes anyone a good person to live with.
How to help your child calm down when he behaves badly
When your child is behaving badly, take him to a different spot and make
him sit for about 5 minutes (less time
for a very young child). If he tries to leave
before the time is up, start the time over
again. Do not leave him alone. You can
use a ‘time out’ like this to give your
child a chance to think about
his behavior and how he can
do better. ‘Time outs’ also give
you time to calm down when
you are frustrated and upset.
Helping Children Who Are Deaf (2004)