How Do I Simplify the Environment?

Let's do a quick re-cap on the first two methods of changing unacceptable behavior by changing the environment:

1. Enriching the environment
2. Impoverishing the environment

Which, leads us to the third method:

Simplifying the Environment

Children often engage in "unacceptable behavior because their environment is too difficult and complex for them; they pester the parent for help, give up an activity entirely, show aggression, throw things on the floor, whine, run away, cry.

The home environment needs to be modified in many ways to make it easier for a child to do things for herself, to manipulate objects safely, and to avoid frustration that comes when she cannot control her own environment. Many parents consciously make an effort to simplify the child's environment by:

• Buying clothes that are for the child to put on by herself.
• Providing a stool or box the child can stand on to reach her clothes in the closet and the bathroom faucet.
• Purchasing child-sized eating implements.
• Putting closet hooks at a low level.
• Buying unbreakable cups and glasses.
• Nailing a door handle on screen doors low enough for the child to reach.
• Putting washable paint or wall covering on the walls of the child's room.

Easy enough! Let's simplify the environment for our child(ren)!