Which of the following would be the best advice to give parents who are concerned about the frequent aggressive outbursts of their 6-year-old son?

A) "Make a point of rewarding and praising your son whenever he is socially cooperative and altruistic."
B) "Be consistent in spanking your child after every outburst so he'll realize that aggression never pays."
C) "Encourage your son to watch the devastating consequences of violence portrayed on TV."
D) "Don't be concerned about your child's aggressiveness,unless the behavior pattern continues beyond the fifth grade."

Positive reinforcement of desirable behavior is likely to be more effective in promoting positive changes in behavior than punishment. Encouraging and praising cooperative and altruistic behavior reinforces and increases the likelihood of those behaviors occurring again in the future. Punishment, such as spanking, may temporarily stop the behavior but does little to teach the child how to manage their emotions or resolve conflicts in a productive way. Exposure to violent media may actually increase a child's aggressive behavior. Waiting until the behavior continues beyond fifth grade may result in a more entrenched behavior pattern that is harder to change.