How do I find the pattern? Keeping a one-week behaviour log

The short answer

Choose one behaviour or situation and log it for seven ordinary days. For each occurrence, write what you saw, the ten minutes before, possible body or environmental pressures, what changed afterwards and recovery. Add at least two comparable moments that went better. Keep entries to a few lines and use neutral language. At the end of the week, group repeated conditions, write one or two possible explanations and choose one small change to test. The log is evidence for discussion, not a diagnosis or a score of your child. Stop if recording increases shame, conflict or surveillance, and seek professional help when behaviour is dangerous, rapidly changing or accompanied by pain or loss of skills.

• Track one defined situation, not every difficult behaviour.
• Record easier comparisons as well as incidents.
• Separate observation from possible explanation.
• Include support, aftermath and recovery.
• Summarise the week on one page and keep the raw record private.