How do I provide structure for my child with Conduct Disorder?

Question

It has been suggested to me to provide a very structured home setting for my 13 year old son. Can you provide me with any suggestions on what type of activities at home I can start with to provide this structure? Any legitimate and reasonable answers are appreciated!

Answer 1

I couldn't have said it better than , belly42

she was right on.

at 13 , though you will have a hard struggle. this should have been done right from the start of his life.

give it your best and just do some TUFF LOVE with him.

I think if you just let him know that you are not going to give up on him he will someday prove to you that you have done your best.

that's what happened to me, my son is 27 now and has 3 kids.

he was aproblem child, but had to grow up quick with his children. he is a mechanic (THE BEST) in town, but never went past the 10th grade for behavioral problems.

just surround him with love and pray for the best.

Answer 2

Hello:

There are four ways to structure his life. First we can structure the environment. Second, we can structure the way in which you respond to misbehavior. Third, we can structure the positive and negative consequences of his actions. Finally, we can teach him how we would like him to respond.

Get together with your son and work out two schedules, one for school day routines and one for weekend routines. Write it out on chart paper and if you think it would work, put a check off square for him to mark when he has completed each step. A reward can then be given for completion of so many steps without prompting. Post the chart on the refrigerator.

In addition, you must structure your interactions with your son. Often children argue or tantrum because their parents are showing emotion, which is negative attention. Plan the way you and husband will react, so that there is a consistent game face.

My suggestion is to keep your face completely neutral. Voice tones should be low and firm. If he is arguing with you, give a broken record response. Do not engage in an argument under ANY circumstances. When you impose negative consequences, do it in a regretful voice. "Gee, it looks like you didn't follow directions. I'm going to have to take away the TV for tonight, but you can earn it by following directions tomorrow."

Make a list of house rules and post them beside the routine chart. Make sure you structure the types of negative consequences so that he knows exactly what to expect when he breaks the rules. Make the consequences fit the crimes and don't punish too much, even if you feel angry. Also, post the rewards that he will get by following the rules.

Finally, teach some of the behaviors you would like to see your son do instead of yelling or getting mad. Teach him to negotiate calmly. Teach him to just say, "OK." Do these sessions when everything is going well and reward him when he does the right thing. You might also teach him a prompt that you will use when he is to use these behaviors so that when he is mad, he can remember them.

As you can see, we have structured the environment, our responses to misbehavior and assisted him with structuring his responses.

Answer 3

what is this

Answer 4

Structure is your son knowing what is going to happen when.  for example...when he gets home from school..has a snack, then maybe homework, then some outside play, dinner, then some reading or quiet activity and last bedtime.  You could even have a dry erase board with all this laid out for him everyday with start and ending time for eadh activity.  Structure does not mean he needs to be loaded down with "activities" it really just means he has the same schedule and sticks to it