Preventive Teaching is an excellent technique to use with your child, especially when the child needs to learn something new or when the child has behaved inappropriately in the past.

As mentioned previously, Preventive Teaching clarifies your expectations by stating them in a positive way.

But are my expectations reasonable?

It's important to consider whether your expectations for your child are, indeed, reasonable. You don't want to set them up for failure, so ask yourself the following questions to ensure fairness:

• Have you taught the expectation to your children through parent demonstration?
• Can your children show that they understand the expectation by repeating it back to you?
• Can your children demonstrate what you expect through role playing?