How do I help my child complete tasks?

Getting our kids to participate in non-preferred activities can be incredibly challenging. It often requires reinforcement and motivation.

Some parents and therapists have success with using token systems. You can get creative with reinforcers, such as finding a video that’s of high interest that your child can watch after completing an non-preferred task.

Transitions from preferred activities to less-preferred ones are often challenging. It helps to build routines and consistency around the transition itself, and to describe what’s coming next with a timed countdown.

If a child has meltdowns about denied access to a device or an activity, parents need to hold their ground and continue to deny access rather than reinforce the behavior by giving in.

For resources like token system apps, stories, and visual schedules that keep kids on task, check out the list in our article Using Reinforcement and Token Systems.