Consequences: Cheat Sheet
Share this resource (on the right), or hover over the image to pin it directly to your Pinterest board!
Natural Consequences
Happy automatically, not decided or imposed by a person.
BEST CHOICE, WHEN POSSIBLE (not everything has a natural consequence)
If bedtime is delayed, you’re tired the next day. If you throw your food, the food is on the floor.
Logical Consequences*
Imposed by a person, directly related to the “offense”
BEST CHOICE WHEN NATURAL CONSEQUENCES ARE UNAVAILABLE
If bedtime is delayed, there might not be time for a story. If you throw food, mealtime is over.
Illogical or Unrelated Consequences aka “Punishment”
Imposed by a person, unrelated to the offense
INEFFECTIVE, PRODUCES MORE NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR – AVOID
If you don’t go to bed, you lose TV for the week. If you throw food, you have to sit in time out.
*IMPORTANT: LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES, WHEN IMPOSED OR SAID IN ANGER OR IN A SPIRIT OF PUNISHMENT, BECOME PUNISHMENT (THUS INEFFECTIVE)