Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS)

All kids have times when they struggle to handle expectations. How they express that they are struggling has an outsized impact on how adults respond. Some kids communicate that they’re having diffuculty meeting certain expectations through whining, pouting sulking, crying or withdrawing.They’re the “lucky” ones, for these behaviors are likely to be responed to with empathy, nurturance, and support. Others – the unlucky” ones – communicate”that they’re having diffuculty meeting expectations in ways that are more troubling, like screaming, swearing, hitting, kicking, biting and spitting. Regrettably, these behaviours are less likely to elicit empathy, nuturance, and support from caregivers. But whether lucky or unlucky, the concerning behaviour is communicating the same thing: there’s an expectation the child is having diffuculty meeting expectations and that means that there’s a problem that needs to be solved. In the CPS model, the problem solving is collaborative and proactive.

Michelle Rosenberg is a ceertified CPS Provider, Consultant and Lives in the Balance Trainer.