Get age-appropriate strategies for handling challenging behaviors and building positive habits
I need help with a specific behavior issue and want strategies that actually work. My child is [AGE:select:toddler (1-2 years),preschooler (3-4 years),early elementary (5-7 years),older elementary (8-10 years),preteen (11-12 years),teenager (13+)]. The behavior I am dealing with is: [BEHAVIOR] This behavior happens [FREQUENCY:select:occasionally,frequently - several times a day,constantly - all the time,in specific situations]. The triggers or situations where this happens: [TRIGGERS?] What I have already tried: [ATTEMPTS?] My parenting style is [STYLE:select:authoritative - firm but warm,permissive - flexible and lenient,structured - rules and consistency,gentle - connection-focused,struggling to find my approach]. Help me understand this behavior developmentally. Is it age-appropriate or concerning? What might be causing it from my child's perspective? Suggest 3-5 specific strategies I can try, starting with the gentlest approach. Tell me what to say in the moment. Explain natural consequences versus punishment. Help me set realistic expectations for how long change might take. Warn me about approaches that might backfire. Let me know when this might need professional support instead.
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Get Early AccessYour kid just hit another child at the playground. Or your 7-year-old lies about everything. Or your teenager slammed their door for the third time today. You know reacting in the moment rarely helps, but you need something better than "just ignore it" advice from the internet.
This prompt takes the specific [BEHAVIOR] you are dealing with, your child's [AGE], how often it happens, and the [TRIGGERS] you have noticed. It returns a developmental explanation (is this normal for their age?), 3 to 5 concrete strategies ranked from gentlest to most structured, exact scripts for what to say in the moment, and a reality check on how long change takes. It also warns you about approaches that tend to backfire.
The developmental context matters. A 2-year-old biting is a communication issue. A 7-year-old biting is a different problem entirely. The prompt distinguishes between age-appropriate behavior you need to ride out and patterns that might need professional support. Fill in triggers and previous attempts so the strategies build on what you already know, not repeat what has failed.
Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or save your behavior plans in the Dock Editor. For toddler-specific issues like tantrums and defiance, the Toddler Behavior Strategies prompt goes deeper into that age range. If sibling fighting is the core issue, the Sibling Conflict Mediator focuses on multi-child dynamics.
Paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or the Dock Editor to get started.
Select [AGE] and describe the specific behavior in [BEHAVIOR]. Be concrete: "hits his sister when she touches his toys" is more useful than "is aggressive." Choose [FREQUENCY] to indicate how often this happens.
Fill in [TRIGGERS] with situations where the behavior shows up most. Describe [ATTEMPTS] with strategies you have already tried so the prompt does not suggest what has already failed.
Choose [STYLE] to get strategies aligned with your values. "Gentle, connection-focused" produces different recommendations than "structured, rules and consistency." Both approaches work. The prompt respects your framework.
The output ranks strategies from least to most intensive. Try the first one for a week before escalating. Track whether triggers decrease. The prompt sets realistic timelines for each approach, so you know when to adjust.
Strong-willed kids resist direct commands but respond well to choices and collaboration. The prompt generates strategies that work with their temperament instead of creating power struggles.
The output clearly distinguishes between age-appropriate and potentially concerning behavior. It tells you when professional support (therapist, pediatrician, school counselor) might be the right next step.
Generate the behavior plan and share it with the other parent. Having the same scripts and strategies across both households eliminates the "but Mom lets me" loophole and reinforces change faster.
Set [STYLE] to "authoritative" and describe the classroom context in [TRIGGERS]. The strategies adjust for group settings where individual attention is limited and fairness across children matters.
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