With each time-out, detention, suspension, expulsion, paddling, restraint, seclusion, & arrest at school, there are children who aren’t getting the help they need & are being pushed away from caregivers who could instead be helping them.
Doing things differently requires a major paradigm shift. Kids with concerning behaviors aren’t lacking motivation, they’re lacking skills, especially those related to flexibility, adaptability, frustration tolerance, & problem-solving. They aren’t attention-seeking, manipulative, coercive, or unmotivated. They don’t need more punitive interventions that just push them out and away. They do need adults who know how to collaborate with them on solving the problems that are causing their concerning behaviors.
That’s why we’re here. Lives in the Balance advocates for our most vulnerable kids, & helps caregivers see them through more accurate, productive lenses & intervene in evidence-based ways that are non-punitive, non-exclusionary, & effective.