ROVING CAREGIVERS PROGRAMME: FAMILY CORNER
“Child Discipline“

Taming Public Tantrums
Parents are often annoyed by a child’s behaviour when he is only acting his age. Some behaviour that is hard to live with is typical of most children that age. For example, young children have a great deal of energy and need to be active. If parents realize how hard it is for a young child to sit still and be quiet, they arrange for the child to use up his energy in a way that does not irritate them. Our number one concern, whether we are two or ninety-two, is to have personal control over our lives. Young children want to be independent and to do things for themselves, so that much of their so called “bad” behaviour is a sign that they are growing. After all, parents would not want the child to remain a baby who is completely dependent on them. Preschool children have a hard time telling the difference between “fact and pretend.” If children in this stage say, “I saw a bear”, they may not know the difference between what they “saw” in their imagination and what they actually saw. Parents should not call the child a liar, instead, they should say, “you did?” and encourage his imagination. By school-age the child should be able to tell the difference between reality and fantasy.
Children are curious. They just naturally want to learn about things around them. They may take things apart just to see what will happen. Children do not do things to annoy their parents; they do them because they are curious.
Curiosity is a valuable trait. A curious child wants to learn and will do well in school. Parents who understand this will encourage the child’s curiosity. Rather than punishing a child for taking things apart, give him/her something safe to satisfy his curiosity.
Some tactics that work for the times your child does misbehave:
• Your child loves to scribble on the walls? Give him/her another choice. You can say, “No, we don’t draw on the walls. But here’s some paper you can write on.” If she’s/He’s unhappy with the suggestion, distract him/her with something else — a look at a board book and a quick snuggle can usually do the trick.
• How do you show him/her that you’re in charge when he/she is out of control? Most experts agree that before age 2, a time-out isn’t useful. But you might try the lap hold, a modified version of it. Just sitting with your child in your arms for a few moments can often defuse an out-of-control situation.
• By the time a child is around 2, he/she has the memory and focus to understand you when you issue a warning. For instance, if he’s/she’s throwing her ball in the living room and has ignored your repeated requests to stop, say, “If you throw the ball again, I’ll take it away. “Of course, you have to follow through with your statement — that’s the way he/she will learn that you really do mean what you say. Eventually he/she will realize that the actions you don’t like have consequences that he/she doesn’t like.
Save the word “no” for when it’s really necessary – when he’s/she’s about to bite her playmate, for instance. Otherwise, the more you use the word, the more you dilute its impact, making it much more likely that he/she won’t listen to you.
• When prevention doesn’t work, ignore the tantrum. Though it may take every ounce of restraint you’ve got, pretend that the screaming doesn’t upset you, impress you, or affect you, and your child will realize (quickly, with luck) that there’s little point in continuing.
• If all else fails, get out of there. Leave the grocery cart if you have to, grab your child, and head for your car. Remember when a child misbehaves it may simply be a plea for a hug or a few minutes of undivided attention, so give him/her both when he/she is calmed down.
RCP SAYS THANKS
On Behalf of the Roving Caregivers Programme of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Early Childhood Services unit we want to thank you profoundly for the many gifts, donations and monitory contributions given to us for the purchase of equipment, stationery, toys, stimulation materials and to prepare hampers for distribution to all the (365) families in the programme.
The Roving Caregivers Programme is a collaborative venture among the Bernard Van Leer Foundation, the Caribbean Child Support Initiative, and the Government of St. Lucia, through the Ministry of Education and Culture, and UNICEF. The RCP provides early stimulation experiences to children from birth to three years in identified target communities. The programme is a home intervention model and also provides integrated family support services. Home visitations are conducted in 20 communities by trained community caregivers.
You can help: “Change the world, one family, one child, at a time” by contributing money, toys, learning and other resource materials. Contributions can be taken to the Early Childhood Services Unit, Ministry of Education and Culture in La Clery. You can also email us at rcpslu @ gmail.com

1. The Archbishop’s Office
2. Bermudez
3. M& C
4. Ministry of Trade, Industry and Consumer Affairs
5. Renwick & Company Ltd
6. Central Sales ( St Lucia) Ltd
7. Carib Pasta St Lucia Ltd
8. Recaii’s Wholesale
9. Frank B Armstrong St Lucia Ltd
10. Peter & Company Ltd
11. Glace Motors Ltd
12. Consolidated Foods Ltd
13. Ramco Plastics
14. Vikings Traders Ltd
15. Chemical Manufacturing and Investment Co.Ltd
16. WASCO
17. RASCO
18. West Indies Shipping
19. Windward Islands Banana Development Co Ltd
20. Tenderoni
21. St Lucia Marketing Board
22. Voyagers
23. Du Boulay Bottling
24. JJ’s Paradise
25. Morne Bakery
26. Mannee’s Bakery
27. Pizza Pizza
28. Domino’s Pizza
29. Morgan Bay Resort
30. Ferrands Diary
31. CARITAS
32. Import France Ltd.
33. Johnson’s Hardware
34. B.O.S.S.
35. Singer Icon Distributors
36. Commercial Supplies
37. Tolyn Manufactures
38. St Lucia Golf Resort and Country Club
39. CSA Credit Union
40. Book Nook
41. A F Valmont
42. Blue Waters
43. St Lucia Civil Service Co-op Credit Union
44. Ferrands Foods
45. St Lucia Hospitality Industry Workers Credit Union
46. Bank of Nova Scotia
47. Chreiki and Sons
48. Nato’s
49. Royal Bank of Canada
50. Rain Forest Sky Rydes Slu
51. Courts St Lucia Ltd.
52. The Office Shop
53. Fleva
54. Burger Plus
55. Voice Publishing
56. Discovery at Marigot Bay
57. Ladera Resort/Dasheen
58. British American Insurance
59. DCG Properties Ltd
60. Coco Palm
61. Hon. Dr. Keith Mondesir- Parliamentary Representative of Anse-La-Raye/Canaries
62. Hon Moses Jn Baptiste – Parliamentary Representative of Belle Vue, Grace.
63. Good News Representative
64. Mrs. Catherine Cooper
Thanks for your usual kind co-operation and assistance.

Sincerely
Ruth Phillips Fevrier
Coordinator
Roving Caregivers Programme