“Please Don’t Squeeze the Charmin™”

In the 1960s through the 1980s there was a series of commercials where Mr. Whipple would try to stop people in the grocery store from squeezing the Charmin™ bathroom tissue. Now, it was never terribly clear why people in the store weren’t allowed to squeeze the Charmin, but lots of people sure loved to squeeze it, and it was against the rules. Even Mr. Whipple liked to squeeze the Charmin himself. Rules are rules. But this rule was annoying to lots of people.

This happens all the time when we work with children with significant behavior problems. One of the most important things we can do is create a fun environment for them to learn new skills. Too often, adults mess this up with rules that are about as important as “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin.”

Don’t mix the play-doh colors
Please keep all the toys in the play area
Color in the lines
Don’t sit so close to the TV
No rice outside the box
Don’t hold the tablet so close to your face
That toy is too loud.

I understand this can be difficult. Letting kids play the way they want to play can make a huge mess. It can be annoying for the adults (Who would want to do an awful thing like mix play-doh colors?) I once worked in a rented space that had an office next door. The people in the office complained because this toy was playing so frequently throughout the day. The wrong thing to do would be to tell the child he can’t play with the toy. We moved the child to another space and had a child who was quieter in the room that overlapped with the office.

But focusing on the little stuff is a serious error at the start of treatment. It ruins rapport; it makes the environment much less fun, and it sets up a situation where kids don’t want to be cooperative. I find that we often underestimate the importance of this step. In many cases, it is the difference between success and failure. I’d say making up rules like “Don’t squeeze the Charmin” is one of the most common reasons for failure in public schools.

Of course, this doesn’t mean a free-for-all. You can take this advice too far. Setting reasonable limits is fine. Just don’t be a killer of fun like Mr. Whipple.

Behavior analytic services should only be delivered in the context of a professional relationship. Nothing written in this blog should be considered advice for any specific individual. The purpose of the blog is to share my experience, not to provide treatment. Please get advice from a professional before making changes to behavior analytic services being delivered. Nothing in this blog including comments or correspondence should be considered an agreement for Dr. Barry D. Morgenstern to provide services or establish a professional relationship outside of a formal agreement to do so. I attempt to write this blog in “plain English” and avoid technical jargon whenever possible. But all statements are meant to be consistent with behavior analytic literature, practice, and the professional code of ethics. If, for whatever reason, you think I’ve failed in the endeavor, let me know and I’ll consider your comments and make revisions, if appropriate. Feedback is always appreciated as I’m always trying to Poogi.