Developing positive opposites is a powerful, research-backed technique to reduce unwanted child behaviors by reinforcing the exact opposite behavior instead. Dr. Kazdin explains how our natural negativity bias makes us focus on misbehavior, but intentionally catching and praising your child doing the “positive opposite” can gradually replace bad habits with good ones. Learn why this method works better than punishment alone and how to apply it consistently for lasting change.
Learn how to identify unwanted behaviors, define their positive opposites, and use specific praise to encourage the behaviors you want.
🎯 Learning Objectives
• Understand the concept of developing positive opposites to change behavior
• Recognize how negativity bias affects parenting and child behavior management
• Learn how to identify unwanted behaviors and define their positive opposites
• Discover how and why praising the positive opposite encourages lasting behavior change
• Understand the limitations of punishment and why this technique is a more effective alternative
• Apply the method with practical examples such as reducing tantrums, arguing, and bedtime resistance
📚 About the Course
Everyday Parenting gives you access to a toolkit of behavior-change techniques that will make your typical day in the home easier as you develop the behaviors you would like to see in your child. The lessons provide step-by-step instructions and demonstrations to improve your course of action with both children and adolescents. Among many techniques, you will learn how even simple modifications to tone of voice and phrasing can lead to more compliance. The course will also shed light on many parenting misconceptions and ineffective strategies that are routinely used.
The key to the course is practice. It is not enough to know the strategies; you have to do them to reap the rewards. Using the techniques on a temporary basis will lead to permanent change.
Chances are your parenting is perfectly fine and working the way you would like. But if you have any frustrations with your child or would like improve your effectiveness in changing your child’s behavior, these videos will be a very useful guide.
📺 Watch the full playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh9mgdi4rNeyEGNxBvNdOVlianDYgWuc9&si=WvX4JltzYzj7faKi
🎓 Enroll on Coursera for assessments and a certificate: https://www.coursera.org/learn/everyday-parenting
🌐 Explore more learning opportunities on Yale Online: https://online.yale.edu/courses/everyday-parenting-abcs-child-rearing
