ABSTRACT
Children’s need for attention is established very early in their life. If children get plenty of attention for just being themselves, as well as for the “good” things they do, it helps them to feel good about themselves and generally they also want to please adults and do what they are asked. The child learns that sometimes their behaviour produces attention and they may repeat the behaviour again many times until it is rewarded again. It takes a lot more for the child to learn that this behaviour is never going to be rewarded than if the behaviour has been rewarded every time. Behaviours like arguing, sulking, screaming, interrupting, swearing and spitting, can be unhelpful ways of trying to get attention and may respond to ignoring. Ian was a disobedient and disruptive child, whose mother came for help in managing his many problem behaviours. Problem behaviours can include whining, demanding, swearing, tantrumming, showing off and lots of other undesirable behaviours.
