Interpreting “challenging behaviors” and meltdowns (with Brittany Bohach)

When kids show negative behaviors, it’s often because they’re struggling to do what they’re being asked to do. This unfortunately happens a lot in school settings. You may have heard the saying “Kindergarten is the new 1st grade”. Kindergarten used to be focused on play, and its becoming increasingly more academic.

When “behavior problems” come up, we have to consider the demands being placed on kids. Are they truly “behavior issues”, or are we simply asking kids to do too much too soon?

In episode 50, I dive into this topic with my friend and colleague, neurodivergent pediatric speech-language pathologist, Brittany Bohach.

Specifically, we discuss:
✅Popular pre-k classroom activities and accompanying behavior problems that go along with them.
✅What’s really causing kids to act out, and why punishment isn’t the best option to solve the issue.
✅Common environmental classroom triggers that can result in meltdowns in emergent communicators
✅Why kids resist common school activities (circle time, calendar time, snack), and why standard behavior management strategies can cause more harm than good.

If you’re a therapist, parent, or teacher who is helping a child with “Kindergarten readiness” and school in general, you’re going to love this episode. To connect with Brittany Bohach, check out her private practice, Satellite Pediatric Therapy Services on Instagram at  @satellitepediatrictherapy. 

Additionally, we mentioned the work of Dr. Ross Greene on this episode, which you can learn more about here. 

Finally, I also mentioned the Time Tracking Journal, my resource for parents and therapists who want to help kids build executive functioning skills during common non-preferred or challenging daily tasks (e.g., chores, homework). The Time Tracking Journal gives you a set of strategies to help kids complete daily routines independently by giving them the problem-solving skills they need to plan their day strategically. You can learn more about the Time Tracking Journal here. The De Facto Leaders podcast was formerly the “Are they 18 yet?®” podcast. As of November 2022, the name of the show has changed, and we’ve shifted from a focus on parenting to a focus on supporting clinicians and educators to design effective services for kids (but parents are still welcome to listen). Episodes published before November 24, 2022 will still contain some of our old branding. 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

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