Family Chat #2: Going Places: Improving Community Outings with Positive Behavior Support
In case you missed the second Family Chat on Going Places: Improving Community Outings, the video replay is below (in its entirety). This Family Chat is very informative, but for those of you who want to “cut to the chase,” we’ve put together [time stamps] of the video so you can quickly catch the explanations and specific strategies along with real-life examples from our panelists.
Our goal is you will learn the following:
- Positive Behavior Support (PBS) can help you create a process or routine for outings
- Failures should be treated as learning opportunities
- Small changes in planning can have substantial positive effects
- Hear the good (and bad) about how other families are using PBS with their community outings
APBS/ HCPBS/ Parenting Special Needs Facebook Family Chat, May 14, 2019, from Association for PBS [1] on Vimeo [2].
What is PBS, and what does it look like in practice?
[7:05] LaQuita Montgomery provides the explanation
[8:33] Paul Rogers talks about what PBS looks like in practice
Considerations for using PBS for trips into the community:
[12:10] Missy provides an explanation and examples
[27:32] Kim discusses how a strategy failed when trying to modify sleep time.
[13:57] Missy explains failed trips to Target
[15:59] Victoria shares an example of challenging behavior at the doctor’s office
[17:01] Full Cart of Strategies:
Identify places and activities
Determine expectations
Prepare your child(ren)
Support participation
Exit on a positive note
Gain a few essential strategies in your cart
[18:08] Paul shares about selecting activities for success
[18:50] Missy shares about managing her expectations
Do your research/premium on participation/enjoyment: I realized that Chrissa could only manage a maximum of 2 or 3 stops at stores. I was happy when I realized I could combine a grocery store trip and a “needed household items” trip if I went to a Super Target. And, I realized the best time for her was weekend mornings when she was fresh (but never before any major holiday weeks). As we were getting re-started, I only took Chrissa with me on “shorter list” days and on days when her sister could also come along and try on clothes, because Chrissa LOVES to go in the dressing room with her.
Related: Say “Aah” Successful Trips to the Dentist [3]
[20:18] Victoria shares tips when visiting a medical professional and his office staff:
Ask for the first appointment of the day or the first after lunch if it is not a medical emergency. She also explains that you should call an hour before time to see if the doctor is running on time and to adjust your arrival, if need be or if appropriate.
[21:56] Victoria shares how she has learned to find ways to make going to the doctor’s office more efficient.
[39:40] Melissa provides a great example of teaching her son to “put on the brakes.”
Select Activities for Success
[26:19] Kim discusses traveling once a month by taking an Uber to the airport: How she navigates the airport, being on the plane, and ways to enjoy the journey when traveling with her son.
Determine Expectations
[30:59] LaQuita discusses setting up expectations with her children prior to leaving to go to the store.
[32:38] Make sure you listen to Laquita’s great tip about toys!
[32:38] Missy discusses what they can do to participate and be successful during outings
Related: Going Places: Improving Participation in Community Activities [4]
Prepare your Children
[35:58] Kim shares how she focuses on being safe, respectful and responsible and looks for reasonable behavior from Orion, not perfection.
She looks for a place he can pace and how his “walking arms” need to be low and slow. Although others look while Orion paces/skips in the airport, we know he needs to do this and so he is allowed to do it as long as he is safe and respectful by “keeping his voice quiet and keeping a safe space” when others are nearby.
Orion is expected to carry his own backpack (responsible), however, if he’s especially tired (very long day etc.), he can “ask for breaks” where we carry it for him.
We state (and frequently repeat) the steps in the day, for example; “We will drive to the car rental, take the shuttle to the airport, go through security & then relax before boarding”
Orion packs his own backpack with toys/activities he’d like on the trip (knowing not to make the bag too heavy because he needs to be able to carry it).
[41:47] Teach them what to expect, Victoria shares how she describes the visit to the doctor in advance in order to help her son learn to feel comfortable. Working with the doctor’s office so they are aware of his needs and what comforts him.
Paul talks about welcome questions from your kids.
[46:00] Starting small to build for success, Kim shares some tips for parents who need their child to be quiet and still during church or while in a restaurant: Highly reward your children for participation.
Related: Mission Possible: Successful Family Vacations [5]
Be willing in the beginning to “give a little to get a little”~ Kim Breen.
When going out to a restaurant, in the beginning, we would start with the best part of the meal! Dessert!
Support participation
[49:16 ] Missy shares about rescheduling a visit to target and supporting her daughter
[50:21] Victoria talks about the importance of her son being able to communicate and express himself with the doctor. Sometimes, doctors requests may have to be rephrased to help with understanding.
[52:10] Kim favorite saying, “Use your words.”
Reward community participation
[54:32] All panelists share how they reward their children for participating and moving in the right direction while also staying positive.
[57:53] Kim talks about how the experience as a “positive” can also be the reward, plus a few other win-win situations.
Exit on a Positive Note!!
Success Stories Shared by Panelist
Resources and Links mentioned in chat:
- APBS Family Page: https://www.apbs.org/pbs/gettingstarted [6]
- Parenting Special Needs Magazine: https://parentingspecialneeds.org/ [7]
- Special Issue: http://magazine.parentingspecialneeds.org/publication?i=461820 [8]
- Home and Community PBS Network: hcpbs.org [9]
- Family Routine Guide: http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/resources/parent/mod6/family_routine_guide.pdf [10]
- Parenting with Positive Behavior Support: https://www.amazon.com/Parenting-Positive-Behavior-Support-Practical/dp/1557668655 [11]
- Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Families: http://products.brookespublishing.com/Prevent-Teach-Reinforce-for-Families-P1006.aspx [12]
- Practiced Routines PBS Parent Training Program: http://www.practicedroutines.com [13]
Articles:
Mission Possible: Successful Family Vacations [5]
Going Places: Improving Participation in Community Activities [4]
Say “Aah” Successful Trips to the Dentist [3]
A Big Thank You to our Sponsors
Sponsored by APBS [14] in collaboration with HCPBS [15] and Parenting Special Needs Magazine
https://www.parentingspecialneeds.org/article/a-complete-guide-on-positive-behavior-support-for-children-with-special-needs/
You May Also Like
- A Complete Guide on Positive Behavior Support for Children With Special Needs [16]
- How to Improve Communication Using Strategies from Positive Behavior Support [17]
- Finding Common Ground: Working Together to Resolve Behavioral Challenges [18]
- Getting Involved with Positive Behavior Support at Your Child’s School [19]
- Getting Ahead of the Game: Changing Behavior and Family Life [20]
- What is ABA, Now Really? [21]
- Co-Parenting with PBS [22]
- Power of Prevention: Heading Off Difficult Behavior [23]
- Getting Involved with Positive Behavior Support at Your Child’s School [19]
- Parent-Professional Partnerships {Tip 28 of 31} [24]
- Family-School Collaboration Focusing on Quality of Life for All [25]