The ABCs of positive behavior,

He’s lively. He’s smart. He’s Shamu, everyone’s favorite killer whale. And he has a great interest in learning, just like your child. At SeaWorld, we embrace a philosophy to help build positive relationships and behavior. It’s called the ABC philosophy, and it stands for:

A

B

C

These three steps help instill positive behavior. Here’s how they work:

ACTIVATOR

This is your part: making the request.
Every behavior begins with a request. And the more clearly you state that request the better. “Please put on your clean school clothes before you come down for breakfast.”, works better than. “Get dressed!”

BEHAVIOR

This is what your child does after the request. Observe it. Your child will either perform the request or not, but either way, we recommend reacting with consequences that keep
the situation positive and reinforce the original request.

CONSEQUENCES

This is how you react to the behavior, and it’s the most important part of the process.

If your child does NOT perform the request, remain positive. Try redirecting your child to a positive path where they can succeed. A couple suggestions:

Baby Steps Start with one small goal at a time and reinforce every success with praise or a reward. As an example, ask your child to put on socks. When she’s successful, ask for socks and shoes. When she’s successful at that, add another article of clothing. A chart that tracks progress can help your child see success.

Modeling Show your child how it’s done. Get dressed with your child or make it a game. And reward every step along the way.

If your child does perform the request: all right! Try to keep it going by consistently offering positive reinforcement. And, if you vary the “reward” it won’t be as expected. Just remember, if you never take good behavior for granted – if you keep showing how much you appreciate it – chances are you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results.