Being a parent is hard. Before you have kids, it looks kind of easy. I was born an aunt, so I’ve been around kids my entire life. However, once you become a parent you realize it’s not easy at all. But it is a rewarding occupation, even with the ups and downs.
How to discipline effectively is one of those issues that all parents face. Many of the techniques that we use simply don’t work for our kids, or they don’t work all the time. That’s an unpleasant fact that we have to face. When we fail, we have to “pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off and start all over again.”
If you are having problems disciplining your kids— try smiling. SMILE is an acronym for a technique used by parent educator Su Porter of Michigan State University. She uses the technique to teach parents in her parenting class how to discipline. You can try it too. Here’s how:
Say it without rage.
Model appropriate behavior.
Involve everyone, including parents , children and caregivers.
Listen as much as you talk.
Encourage and praise good behavior.
Need more tips? Check out these gems from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
(1) Be consistent in whatever technique you use.
(2) Take note of and acknowledge your child’s feelings.
(3) Try to avoid power struggles, focus only on those issues that are really important.
(4) If possible, offer choices.
(5) Make games out of tasks. Just the other day we were watching Mary Poppins and there’s a scene in the movie where she first arrives at the house. The kids are in the nursery and it is in disarray. Instead of barking orders at them to clean it up, she made a game of it. Okay, she used magic to get the room to straighten itself up, but the point is you can make cleaning fun. Put on some music and dance a silly dance while straightening up, or challenge your child to finish cleaning his room in a certain amount of time.
(6) To avoid meltdowns in public, plan shopping trips when your child is well rested and not hungry. Also, take along a small book or toy to keep your little ones occupied if they start to get bored.
See also:
How To Use Consequences To Change Behavior
Is Your Method of Discipline Working?
How To Get Your Kids To Listen To You