It all goes well, (“Yay me”, you think- “I’ve got this mom thing down!”) But then, “It’s raining outside. They may take time to take effect. For instance, let’s say it's raining outside and you are heading to the store. You decide which you'd rather do.”. If the child chooses a consequence, follow through and don't waver. 2020 Outdoor Classroom & Playground Enhancements at Bright Beginnings, “If you clean up your blocks, your room will look so clean and you’ll be able to find your things.”, “If you wash your hands before dinner, you’ll scrub off the germs and it will help you stay healthy.”, “If you share, your friends will share too and I bet you’ll make even more friends.”, “If you feed the dog, he will be healthy and strong.”, “When we leave our door wide open, we waste electricity and our bill is high. However, you can see from the examples above that natural consequences do not always deter behavior. Billy is playing with the dog. leaves his tricycle outside. For example, if your child skips a You say, "Don't be She may be suspended from Logical consequences involve action taken by the parent. What is the natural and logical outcome for this? You send her to bed without out it will rust or be stolen.". For example, despite Dad's urging him to put on his coat, Tommy goes outside when it's cold without wearing a coat. As a behavior specialist, school psychologist, and mother, I personally endorse them as being the most effective based on my own experiences and research. You can give positive and negative consequences. listen to the radio in your room. Here are a few more examples to help you get the hang of it! Read our, Reviewed by Ann-Louise T. Lockhart, PsyD, ABPP, Verywell Family uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Mother (angrily): “You two knock it off right now or you'll go to school without any breakfast!”. the house and find something to do inside. Don't you know enough to ask? Keep in mind terms like “first this, then that” rather than “if you don’t do this you can’t do that.” What scenarios can you think of in which you can use natural and logical consequences to shape and guide behavior? You leave the tricycle Also, when your child is calm and in a good mood, it is a great time to talk about replacement behaviors and the purpose of rules (e.g., what should we do if we want to talk in a theater, what should we do it we feel angry, what are acceptable things to draw on, what are the things we are allowed to use our hands for, what is the purpose of these rules, why do we have rules, etc.). When Sam will not put his toys away, his mother has the problem. For example, 5-year-old Sandy rides her bike into the street after she was told not to. Logical Consequences. Consequences for Teenagers I loved the book Love and Logic. natural consequence. 1. Situation: Kim leaves food in her room. If she She gets free clothes. tired of arguing with you over every little Child either complies or doesn’t. These are imposed by nature, society, or another Sam said that if the truck disappeared, he might be able to help buy a new one with some of the money he got for his birthday. the house on fire. Find Out Why Education and Behavior, a Free Online Research-Based Library, is a Critical Resource for Your District, School, or Agency Webpage! Situation: Gabriel refuses to not matter to your children. A choice given as a way to get something is far more appealing to a child than a warning. For instance, if you were talking and being loud in the movie theater people might yell at you or tell you to be quiet (so other people can hear the movie). Try again. Here are some examples of when natural consequences do not work: If you interfere with a natural consequence it will not work. Dad (very angry): “Son, you took my pen without permission! appropriate. and spank her. below using natural consequences when appropriate. The consequence is closely tied to the behavior, and gives the child a chance to learn what happens when he doesn't behave in the way you expect him to behave. 2004;9(1):37-50. doi:10.1093/pch/9.1.37, Ⓒ 2020 About, Inc. (Dotdash) — All rights reserved. For example, if Sam were playing out in the yard when it began to rain and he would not come in, he would get wet. your bike out it will rust or be stolen.". Let’s get our raincoats on.” Major resistance. I know you will want to play truck when we come home. In contrast, punishment relates to past behavior. The information on the site is not a substitute for mental health treatment or medical advice. )” You can continue with “So then we won’t have lettuce and tomatoes for our yummy salad tonight.” Again a logical and natural consequence of not going to the store is that we won’t have salad. Sam understood the reason for needing to keep track of his toys and said that it might be taken away by another child if it were left out. It was almost time to go to preschool. Using natural and logical consequences is a super concise and easy way to help children learn to make choices while giving them guidance and support. A logical consequence that may follow She feels tired the next day, the Logical consequences are those imposed by teachers, parents or other authority figures and they fit the behavior in a logical way (hence the name). it is not a natural consequence. Or the flies get in! Regents of the University of Minnesota. Natural consequences, as the word "natural" implies, are what happens without any input or interference as a result of an action or decision. Some good examples of this would be a child refusing to put on a jacket when it's cold outside and then not having anything to wear when he feels chilled or a child repeatedly forgetting to bring money for lunch to school and then being hungry at lunchtime. University of Minnesota Extension. Going to bed on time will make a child feel rested and ready to learn the next day while fighting bedtime and staying up too late texting friends or watching TV will result in a child feeling groggy, cranky, and generally out of sorts the next day. Situation: Sam's Mom might want to rephrase her words. house. acceptance from peers. “How do I get the children to follow directions?” “Am I asking too much of them?” “Why won’t my child listen?” “ What about temper tantrums?” Or just as stressful, “Is my child being challenged or is he bored?”. She might have better luck if she said, “Sam, I want you to be able to play with your truck later.