Reward Positive Behavior

If you want to see problem behavior disappear, pay more attention to the things children do well than to their mistakes.
Without thinking, we often take for granted those behaviors that please us. Then we exaggerate out of proportion those things children do wrong.
Unfortunately, this approach doesn’t work because children tend to repeat those behaviors that get the most attention.
For example, the more you ask a child to stop an annoying behavior, such as playing with his food, the more he may do it. Try ignoring it instead. Then when you notice he is eating neatly, compliment him.
An old rule says parents should compliment a child for every time they criticize him.
As you watch for positive behavior and compliment children on that behavior, you can begin to see some changes in the behavior you don’t like.