As parents we are always looking for more effective techniques that show us how to deal with common problems that we all face. Discipline is one of those areas. In the November issue of Parents, they offer five tips for discipline do’s and don’ts.
(1) Don’t Bribe— Most of us are guilty of bribing our kids at one time are another to either get them to do something or not do something. Giving our kids rewards for work well-done is okay but we have to resist the urge to reward them in other instances, for example, giving them candy to avoid a tantrum in the grocery store. This reinforcing the bad behavior and teaches our kids that if they want something from us all they have to do is make a scene.
(2) Be Consistent— Parents have to decide which behavior are acceptable and which one’s aren’t and come up with consequences that you will enforce if your kids engage in these unacceptable behaviors. Then we have to be consistent every single time. When it comes to discipline we cannot be wishy-washy.
(3) Don’t Give The Silent Treatment— I know I have been guilt of this one. I figured it would send the message to Tyler that I was really displeased with his behavior. But instead it sends a message that our love and attention is conditional. Rather than the silent treatment, we should let our kids know that we need time to cool off and then we will administer an appropriate punishment.
(4) Set Expectations— Make sure your kids know in advance how you expect them to behave in certain situations. For example, if you have to take your kids grocery shopping with you, you might want to let them know that you are only buying items on your list and if they behave they can have one treat. Also, make sure they know the consequences of not following through. In this case, if they misbehave they won’t get a treat.
(5) Don’t Go Overboard With Punishment— Resist the urge to punish for every little infraction. Save punishment for times when your child is clearly being defiant or for other serious infractions.
See also:
Six Universal Rules Of Discipline