So, to sum it up... 1 hour per child each day + go out of your way to praise them when they are behaving well.

what if you constantly reinforce the positive, ignore the negative and they still compete obsessively for attention.

my 2 stepchildren are now 12 and 11 and i have looked after them in my house for 10 years since their mum walked out. their need to be the centre of attention is obsessive and if the negative behaviour is ignored it will continue to escalate to the point where you have no option for their safety or that of the other children to step in.

dealing with negative behaviour is exhausting but so is trying to keep the positive reinforcement going when your life is being controlled by 2 manipulative and demanding children

As a very involved mom of three kids 7,6, and 4 I disagree that negative attention is due to parents not rewarding the positive behaviors or spending time with them. . My husband and I have tried everything . My eldest son is difficult and attention seeking behaviors started when he was very young. I attributed most of it to his developmental delays which he still has. Some of our issues my also be due to family dynamics. We like to do family things but everything can be a challenge when it comes to negative behaviors to which some can't be ignored. We are still working on a solution but right now we are focusing on accountability and consequence for behaviors that are unacceptable. I am sure that there are other parents that pay attention to their Childs needs as well and to make a statement blaming a parent for not being attentive or not rewarding the positive behaviors is bull.