[Mis]Behavior: the tip of the iceberg

Have you ever tried a technique that works to correct misbehavior, but only sometimes? Maybe the behavior changes, but then returns. What is the missing piece? If [mis]behavior was the core of the problem, the same technique would work for the same behavior, and probably with every child.

The truth is behavior, good and bad, is just the tip of the iceberg. What lies below the surface are a child's (or an adult's) beliefs about himself and about the world around him. Mistaken beliefs (a missing sense of belonging and significance) often lead to misbehavior. Those mistaken beliefs can manifest into different types of misbehavior. If the behavior is the only thing being addressed, the solution is temporary at best.

When parents begin to understand the belief behind the behavior, we can address the root of behavior. Helping a child shift his mistaken belief to a sense of belonging and significance can change current AND FUTURE behavior for the better.