Positive Reinforcement Techniques for Daily Routines
As a parent of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), you might already be familiar with the concept of positive reinforcement. It’s one of the most effective tools in the behaviour analyst’s toolkit, and it can make a world of difference in helping your child learn new skills, follow routines, and engage in appropriate behaviours. Positive reinforcement is all about encouraging desirable behaviours by providing a reward or positive consequence that your child finds motivating. In this post, we’ll explore how you can use positive reinforcement in your daily routines to support your child’s development and make everyday tasks more manageable.
What Is Positive Reinforcement?
Before diving into the specifics of how to use positive reinforcement, let’s take a moment to understand what it really means. Positive reinforcement involves adding something positive or desirable immediately after a behavior occurs, with the goal of increasing the likelihood that the behavior will happen again in the future.
For example, if your child brushes their teeth without fussing, you might reward them with a sticker, praise, or extra playtime. The idea is that your child will associate brushing their teeth with something positive, making them more likely to do it again without resistance.
The key to positive reinforcement is consistency and immediacy—the reward should be given as soon as possible after the desired behavior occurs, so your child makes the connection between their actions and the positive outcome.
Identifying Effective Reinforcers
The first step in using positive reinforcement is identifying what motivates your child. Every child is different, so it’s important to find reinforcers that are meaningful and motivating to your child. These could be tangible items like toys or snacks, activities like screen time or playing outside, or social reinforcers like praise, hugs, or high-fives.
Here are some tips for identifying effective reinforcers:
Observe Your Child: Pay attention to what your child enjoys during their free time. Do they gravitate towards certain toys, activities, or foods? These can be potential reinforcers.
Offer Choices: Give your child a choice between different rewards. This not only helps identify what they find most motivating but also gives them a sense of control, which can increase the effectiveness of the reinforcement.
Use a Variety of Reinforcers: Keep things interesting by rotating different types of reinforcers. This prevents your child from becoming bored or losing interest in a particular reward.
Start Small: Begin with small, easily attainable rewards that your child can earn frequently. This helps build momentum and reinforces the idea that positive behaviors lead to positive outcomes.
Incorporating Positive Reinforcement into Daily Routines
Once you’ve identified effective reinforcers, the next step is to incorporate positive reinforcement into your daily routines. Let’s explore how you can apply this technique to common activities like getting ready in the morning, mealtime, and bedtime.
Morning Routine: Starting the Day on the Right Foot
Mornings can be a challenging time for many families, especially when trying to get out the door on time. Using positive reinforcement can help make mornings smoother and more pleasant for everyone.
Getting Dressed: If getting dressed is a struggle, you can use positive reinforcement to make it more appealing. For example, you might set up a reward system where your child earns a sticker for each piece of clothing they put on independently. Once they collect a certain number of stickers, they can trade them in for a larger reward, like choosing the next day’s outfit or an extra 10 minutes of playtime.
Brushing Teeth: Brushing teeth can be another challenging task. To encourage cooperation, you might create a simple chart where your child earns a star each time they brush their teeth without fussing. Once they’ve earned a certain number of stars, they can choose a special treat, like a small toy or a favorite snack.
Eating Breakfast: If your child is a picky eater, positive reinforcement can help make breakfast time more successful. For example, you might use a token system where your child earns tokens for trying new foods or finishing their meal. These tokens can then be exchanged for a larger reward, like a trip to the park or extra screen time.
Mealtime: Encouraging Positive Eating Habits
Mealtime can be a source of stress for many families, especially when dealing with food aversions or selective eating. Positive reinforcement can help encourage your child to try new foods, eat a balanced diet, and develop healthy eating habits.
Trying New Foods: Introduce a reward system where your child earns a small reward for trying a new food. This could be something as simple as a sticker or a piece of a puzzle. Over time, as your child becomes more comfortable with new foods, you can gradually reduce the frequency of the rewards.
Eating a Balanced Meal: To encourage your child to eat a variety of foods, you can create a visual chart that tracks different food groups (fruits, vegetables, proteins, etc.). Each time your child eats a food from a particular group, they earn a point or a sticker. Once they’ve earned enough points, they can choose a special activity or reward.
Staying Seated During Meals: If your child has trouble staying seated during meals, you can use a timer as part of a reinforcement strategy. Set a timer for a short period, such as five minutes, and reward your child with a small treat or praise if they remain seated until the timer goes off. Gradually increase the time as your child gets better at staying seated.
Bedtime Routine: Ending the Day on a Positive Note
Bedtime routines are crucial for helping your child wind down and prepare for sleep. Positive reinforcement can make this routine more enjoyable and help your child develop good sleep habits.
Getting Ready for Bed: To encourage your child to get ready for bed without resistance, you can set up a reward chart that tracks bedtime tasks, such as putting on pajamas, brushing teeth, and getting into bed. Each completed task earns a sticker or point, and after a certain number of stickers, your child can choose a reward, like an extra bedtime story or a small treat the next day.
Staying in Bed: If your child has difficulty staying in bed after lights out, you might consider using a reinforcement system where they earn a reward for staying in bed until morning. For example, you could use a “bedtime pass” system where your child starts the night with a certain number of passes they can use to get out of bed (e.g., for a bathroom trip). Any unused passes can be exchanged for a reward in the morning.
Calming Down Before Sleep: If your child struggles with winding down at bedtime, you can use positive reinforcement to encourage calming activities. For example, if your child spends time quietly reading or listening to soft music before bed, they could earn a small reward like a sticker or a token towards a larger prize.
General Tips for Success
To make the most of positive reinforcement in your daily routines, here are some additional tips to keep in mind:
Be Specific: When giving praise or rewards, be specific about what your child did well. Instead of just saying “good job,” say “great job putting on your shoes all by yourself!” This helps reinforce the exact behavior you want to encourage.
Stay Consistent: Consistency is key to the success of positive reinforcement. Make sure to reinforce the desired behavior every time it occurs, especially when you’re first introducing the strategy. Over time, you can gradually fade the frequency of the reinforcement as the behavior becomes more ingrained.
Use Social Reinforcers: While tangible rewards like toys or treats can be effective, don’t underestimate the power of social reinforcement. Praise, hugs, high-fives, and even a smile can be incredibly motivating for your child and help build a positive parent-child relationship.
Be Patient: Behavioral change takes time, especially for children with ASD. Don’t get discouraged if progress seems slow at first. Keep reinforcing positive behaviors consistently, and you’ll likely see improvements over time.
Make It Fun: Try to keep the reinforcement process enjoyable and engaging for your child. Use colorful charts, fun tokens, or creative rewards to make the experience positive and exciting.
Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool that can help you guide your child through daily routines with less stress and more cooperation. By identifying what motivates your child and using reinforcement consistently, you can encourage positive behaviors that make everyday tasks more manageable and enjoyable for both you and your child.
Remember, the goal of positive reinforcement is not just to get your child to complete tasks, but to help them learn and grow in a supportive, encouraging environment. With time, patience, and a little creativity, you can turn daily routines into opportunities for learning, bonding, and building your child’s confidence.
