THE SIX (6) TYPES OF CHALLENGING KIDS PART TWO – THE NEGOTIATOR

"Behaviour is our best effort at any given time and situation with the skills we have to obtain what we want"

 

 THE SIX (6) TYPES OF CHALLENGING KIDS

PART TWO – THE NEGOTIATOR

There are six easily identifiable personas that children with challenging behaviour fit into according to Clinical Psychologist Andrew Fuller.

They are:          Manipulators

                        Negotiators

                        Debaters

                        Competitors

                        Dare Devils

                        Passive Resisters

The Negotiator (Bart Simpson, Dennis the Menace): these kids are really switched on; they are the wheelers and dealers of the world. They are very street smart, and can engage people with their humour, which enables most people to basically like them.

Negotiators are cunning and funny and attempt to control by resisting directions and requests, whist engaging people through being the pranksters and jokester, and unfortunately appear to not know when enough is enough. They avoid areas of possible failure by distraction

There is one Golden rule when dealing with negotiators and that is to pick your battles; Negotiators will

always have more energy to put into a battle than any parent. Be very careful not to allow times where you show affection for your child to become time for them to negotiate.

As negotiators love an audience, do your negotiating with them away form the audience. Make sure you have an immovable and clear bottom line before you negotiate. Don’t fight or give into a negotiator, and in times of conflict, step back and calm down, it is not your aim for them to submit to your will but to have them develop integrity and consideration for others.

Negotiators are often impressed by rewards and a small prize can often be more effective than praise, especially if they believe that they have beaten the odds to achieve it. Use tangible rewards such as free time, and stickers rather than praise alone.