Behavior is always trying to tell us something. Are we listening?

Think of behavior as small messages that parents/teachers and caregivers need to decipher. Behavior of any kind is comunicating a need. For example, when your child comes and curls up in your lap, they are not necessarily saying, "I need to feel close to you," but their actions tell you this.

Along the same lines, when a child exhibits other behaviors, such as screaming or running or hitting, they are trying to communicate a need to you. Every child is different so clinicians cannot say what the exact need is for every child unless they establish a relationship/bond with that child.

For this very reason, social emotional learning is key to assisting children in learning different emotions and feelings and how to communicate what they need.