Consider the following scenario: You have a five-year-old daughter who suddenly refuses to go to bed on time. She comes up with the classic excuses: needs a story, a song, a kiss, a glass of water, to use the bathroom. Then, when all appeals are exhausted, she moves into the toughest thing for a parent to defend against: monsters!

You suspect that she is not really frightened and that this is just another delay tactic. You even give her a water pistol to shoot the monsters, but this just results in damp posters on her walls. You need to find a way to get your child to go to bed on time.

For this discussion draw on behaviorist principles learned in your text and other readings to make plan for modifying your child's behavior. Name specific behavioral principles (positive reinforcement, schedules of reinforcement, and so on), and link your action plan to the specific principles.