Originally Posted by BumbleBee:
Dcb, age 4, is oppositional defiant. We've made progress in the frequency of the defiance as well as the level of anger exhibited. What we are struggling with currently is the duration. This kid digs his heals in and stays there. What we do or don't do has no effect that we can see.
An example: a day last week Dcb was in attendance for 8 hours. Of those 8 hours, 1 hour was spent eating (2 snacks, 1 meal), 2 hours sleeping, 1.5 hours not being defiant or oppositional, 3.5 hours were spent being defiant and oppositional (2 hours in the afternoon, 1.5 hours in the morning.)
We have utilized active ignoring, positive attention and a sticker chart (token economy.) We do not allow Dcb to dictate our day with his defiance. By that I mean we continue on with our day as if he's not being oppositional or defiant. He is welcome to join us as we move through our schedule but is not forced.
So if he refuses to come to the table for snack/meal time we do not force him (power struggle.) When snack/meal time is done it is done and if he's chosen not to join us during that time he waits until the next meal. Though we do not allow him to play during these times because then everybody else wants to play.
If he refuses to put his shoes/coat on when it is time to go outside, he goes out with us and sits on the deck with his stuff. He is welcome to join us when his stuff is on (yes he can put the items on himself.) If he chooses not to then he does not play. If he chooses not to until 5 min are left for outside time, then he plays for 5 minutes.
I'm mentally drained at this point and need some more tools in my toolkit. If anybody has any tips, tricks, etc for us to use either for ourselves or for working with Dcb we are all ears.
*we is referring to myself and my assistant though I mainly handle the more challenging behaviors in daycare.
What do his parents do?