Working with behavioral challenges. - post

At some point in your career, you are sure to encounter children who display behavioral challenges. The most important way to address these behaviors is to work with families to mutually support each other and the child. Consider the following letter template to send home to families. This is a good way to begin the conversation and show that you are dedicated to supporting their child and helping everyone find success. For practical professional development, consider ChildCareEd courses such as The ABCs of Behavior Buy Now $55.00 and Mysteries of Challenging Behavior Solved Buy Now $24.00, which offer classroom-ready frameworks for antecedent–behavior–consequence analysis and positive guidance strategies.

How should I start a conversation with families about challenging behavior?

Starting the conversation with families requires a collaborative, nonjudgmental stance and a clear, data-informed plan. Begin by describing your shared aim—promoting the child's consistent success—and acknowledge strengths observed at home and at school. Offer the family a short plan that includes what you will document, how often you will share observations, and what supports are available. When possible, invite the family to a brief team meeting (in person or virtual) to co-create goals and preferred communication methods; this builds trust and increases the likelihood of consistent implementation across home and program.

Practical communication skills are teachable. ChildCareEd's Heart-to-Heart Communication: Challenging Behaviors Buy Now $16.00 course focuses specifically on respectful, effective parent-teacher dialogues and can help staff prepare for these meetings. Also review program-level approaches such as Supporting Children With Behavioral Challenges in Daycare and Creating Community to align team practices with family outreach.

What behaviors should we track and why?

To design interventions that are individualized and effective, you must collect reliable behavioral data. Begin with a concise list of observable target behaviors, operationally defined so everyone (teachers, family members, service providers) records the same events. Track frequency, duration, antecedents, and immediate consequences: this antecedent–behavior–consequence (ABC) profiling produces patterns that guide intervention selection. For many disruptive behavior presentations, early evaluation and a coordinated child-family-school approach improve outcomes (see References).

Use structured, simple forms and agree on who records which observations and when. Consistent, brief daily notes—coupled with periodic summary charts—allow teams to quickly recognize trends, identify times or settings with higher risk (e.g., transitions, mealtimes, free play), and test small, time-limited changes. Staff training in observation and documentation increases inter-rater reliability; ChildCareEd's CDA: A Closer Look at Assessments Buy Now $24.00 is a practical resource for building reliable recording practices.

Dear ____________,

In order for us to help _________ find consistent success in the classroom, we will begin

tracking certain behaviors. We would like to work with you to identify specific behaviors that we all feel are adversely affecting _______ either academically, socially, or both. Please look over the enclosed document and highlight some behaviors you feel will be the most important to track. You will notice that we have highlighted a few that we have observed in the classroom. It is our hope that by using this tracking system we are able to quickly record and share with you the challenges _______ faces throughout the day. This will also serve as a great resource for any special service providers that work with _______. In addition, we hope that in tracking these behaviors we can anticipate them, identify situations or times of the day when the behaviors typically appear, and develop strategies to de-escalate. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Include a list of potential target behaviors and highlight those you have seen in the classroom. Consider the following list.

Target Behaviors

• Yelling/ Screaming
• Throwing Objects
• Punching/ Slapping
• Head Banging
• Throwing self to floor
• Running Away
• Refusing to follow directions
• Taking other children’s food
• Social isolation
• Tantrum
• Touching others belongings
• Touching other children

What are the next steps and resources?

Next steps should combine clear short-term goals, consistent data collection, and team-based problem-solving. 1) Identify 1–3 target behaviors and operational definitions. 2) Choose brief measurement windows (e.g., 10-minute interval sampling, or event recording for each occurrence). 3) Implement antecedent changes and teach replacement skills; collect data for 2–4 weeks, then review outcomes with the family. 4) If behavior persists or escalates, pursue a formal functional behavioral assessment and consider referrals to specialized providers.

For program leaders, invest in staff training to maintain fidelity: courses such as Mysteries of Challenging Behavior Solved Buy Now $24.00 and Viewing Guidance in a Positive Light Buy Now $24.00 help standardize team responses. For developmental context, read How Does Early Development Shape Children's Behavior? and the article on executive function What Is Executive Function... to select curriculum activities that build self-regulation.

How can I prevent and manage challenging behaviors during daily preschool routines?

Practical, routine-focused strategies reduce escalation and teach self-regulation across the day. Start by mapping when the behavior occurs (for example, transitions, free play, toileting, or snack time) and introduce small, testable adaptations that make predictable demands and teach replacement skills. 1) Use consistent visual schedules and brief timers so children anticipate changes. 2) Teach replacement behaviors explicitly (e.g., requesting help, using a calm-down strategy) and rehearse them in low-stakes moments. 3) Modify the environment—reduce crowding, create quiet areas, and provide simple sensory supports to lower arousal. 4) Reinforce incremental successes with immediate, specific feedback and short, feasible rewards. 5) Structure transitions with clear roles and minimal unstructured waiting.

1. Identify 1–2 routines to target and choose a measurable behavior to track.
2. Teach and practice the replacement skill during a predictable small-group or circle time.
3. Share the brief plan with families and request consistent reinforcement at home.

For classroom-ready routines and organization tips, see How to Manage a Preschool Classroom with Confidence.

Summary: What should I do after reading this article?

Use this template to open a collaborative, data-informed conversation with families. Begin modestly: pick one target behavior, agree on how it will be measured, and plan a two-week test of antecedent adjustments plus skill-teaching. Share concise daily or weekly notes and reconvene to review outcomes. Escalate to a formal assessment and external supports if safety or persistence demands it. These steps keep the child at the center while aligning family and staff efforts.

Common tags: #behavior #assessment #self-regulation #family #inclusion

References

• Behavior or Conduct Problems in Children | Children's Mental Health (CDC) — guidance on recognizing disruptive behavior disorders, the importance of early evaluation, and evidence-based roles for parent training and combined child-family-school approaches.
• Supporting Students with Asperger's Syndrome Who Present Behavioral Challenges (Indiana University) — supports the functional assessment approach, antecedent/setting-event adjustments, and personalized supports for social/pragmatic differences.

Further reading: How do we apply Developmentally Appropriate Practice in mixed-age groups?.