Part 1: WHY DO KIDS MISBEHAVE

BEHAVIOR IS COMMUNICATION

Let's start with this one simple fact. Behavior, good or bad, is a basic form of communication. Think about it like this, if an infant wants picked up, fed or is sleepy, they don't have the advantage of being able to communicate those needs. The only way they can convey their wants or needs is by crying or thrashing about. It's that behavior that alerts mom or dad to pay attention.

ALL BEHAVIOR - GOOD OR BAD - HAS A PAY OFF

From a very young age we learn that good behavior warrants a reward and bad behavior deserves punishment. So then, what possible pay off does a misbehaving student receive when they know that bad behavior will be punished?

Perhaps they are seeking a different form of pay off. They are! Attention!

When a child is seeking attention, they may act out to receive it. To a child starved of attention, even negative, punishable attention, is good attention.

It serves a purpose... it has a payoff.

And when kids act out, they see the results instantly. They now have YOUR undivided attention. It's a negative attention, but their behavior worked.


NEGATIVE ATTENTION IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND

adults tend to be neglectful with their attention when a student is doing what he/she is supposed to do. The non-squeaky wheel never needs oiled. But as soon as there is a change in attitude and behavior, they now have the driver's fullest attention!

NEGATIVE ATTENTION IS POWERFUL

One student can hijack the whole bus. The driver becomes distracted, and their attention is split between driving the bus and monitoring the chaos going on behind them.

This is very unsafe!

Not only that, but the driver also naturally becomes despondent and feels like there's no hope. Nothing they've tried seems to work, and no one; the child's parents, the school, even their employer is seemingly doing nothing to help.

Unfortunately, students seeking attention is not the only factor behind student misbehavior. There are many other factors tugging at a student's psyche, and next we will take a deeper look at those other extenuating factors.