A–Z Glossary

Challenging behavior

Challenging behavior is persistent or intense child behavior that may signal distress, lagging skills, unmet needs, or poor environmental fit.

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Myths about difficult children and parenting struggles

Myths about difficult children and parenting struggles

Myth 1: Difficult behavior means a child is bad Calling a child “bad” compresses a complex developmental picture into a moral judgment. Children’s behavior is shaped by temperament, maturation, nervous system regulation, learning history, family stress, sleep, hunger, sensory processing, language ability, and social context. A child who melts down during transitions, refuses a demand, […]