The X-Off System

It is really a teaching tool

It is based on the way we best learn: corrective feedback without criticism

It has a built in “that’s enough” so it can’t be ignored

It is very easy to explain and use

It is as close to a game as possible

It can be flexibly revised to teach nearly any social skill

Introducing the X-Off system

Fold a piece of paper in 8 squares

Explain when a child forgets a rule, the parent is to tell them what part of the cooperation rule they forgot and give them an X in one of the squares

Explain that Xs are not bad, that everyone forgets. In fact, it works better if the parents soften their words.

If they fill all the boxes in one day, they’ve “forgotten so often” their parents tend to get “angry.” Therefore they need to go to their room for “a long time.” In their room they can play, read, sleep (just no TV or video games) for about an hour.

If they don’t get 8 Xs, then they earn $1.00 toward some special activity (not a thing). It helps to post the earned dollars.

The X-Off system can be faded when the youngster readily cooperates (30 to 60 days).