If your child is having trouble completing their plan of action, ask yourself the following questions and reevaluate their plan:
What if my child is resistant to move on to the next activity?
If your child is especially resistant to completing their next activity, consider the following:
- Brainstorm easier activities or extra activities for them to practice in the meantime, especially if you think their next activity is too big of a jump. This could even be a slight variation of the activity (for example, the same situation but in a different setting, with a different person, or at a different time of the day)
- Remind your child about their motivation boosters
- Brainstorm more motivating rewards if needed for more challenging activities
- Make sure your child has the skills they need to complete the activity. If your child does not have the skills they need (for instance, social skills), teach and practice these skills beforehand. We will discuss social skills in greater detail in a later module!
What if my child is not making any progress?
Some kids will make gains more slowly and will need to keep practicing longer than others. If you’ve reevaluated your plan and your child is still not progressing quickly, try not to get discouraged! Your child may simply need more practice and more time. Your child may have been avoiding their fear for several months or years, so it makes sense that breaking this pattern would take lots of time and effort. Try your best to be patient and know that the techniques we are teaching in this program have been shown to work. Look out for the small victories – over time, they will add up!
Moving Forward
Your child should continue working on their plan of action during the next few weeks of LUNA. You and your child should focus on breaking avoidance patterns, building habits of facing fears, and accomplishing goals.
