Joyce confesses to a mistake she made when shaping her grandson’s responses during a play routine in Level Two.

Extinction is when a behavior disappears from use because it is not being reinforced.

Extinction is very useful when you are aware of consciously using it, For example, if you do not respond to a behavior you do not want your child using, the behavior will extinguish if you consistently do not respond to it, Consistency is the key,

Extinction can be a problem when a child needs a skill but it is not reinforced. Joyce uses the example of when older children stop using their word “no” to make a refusal because people do not acknowledge the message. In that situation, children find a more effective way to refuse.

Today’s activity: Add a play routine into a daily activity you share with your child.

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