8 Tried And Tested Ways To Discipline A Child

Children's behavior evolves and changes as they grow and develop through various stages in their lives. The little one who does not throw tantrums at the age of two may disrespect you at the age of seven and give you a severe attitude at the age of twelve. According to specialists, the most effective approach to comprehending your children's behavior is to grasp what they're going through at their mental and physical developmental levels. This understanding will assist you in disciplining children without shouting, threatening, or having a meltdown yourself.

"Discipline child” is about leading and educating our children — not about punishment or anger," says Scott Wooding, a Calgary-based child psychologist and author of “The Parenting Crisis”. He adds, disciplining children is just a means of teaching them what is right from wrong and keeping them safe. Below are eight good parenting tips to discipline children from a very young age and stage.

#1. Spanking, shouting, or striking vs. time-out

Hitting or spanking is one of the most contentious parenting issues. While most physicians and parenting professionals advise against spanking, a great majority of parents worldwide admit to spanking their children. However, research suggests that physical punishment has long-term implications for children and impacts their overall growth in the longer run.

Call Time-Out: Hitting children for misbehavior (particularly violence) conveys a contradictory message. Putting a child in time-out is a far better option. When used appropriately, time-out teaches children how to calm down, which is an important life skill.
However, for a time-out to be beneficial, children must spend a lot of quality time with their parents. Getting them out of a negative scenario, and giving them time to reflect on their actions will teach them how to self-regulate, express their emotions correctly, and make other choices in the future.

#2: Loss of Privilege

When disciplining your child, the goal is not to transform them into obedient robots, but rather to help them make better decisions in the future. To get proficient at this, you'll need to practice. If they make a poor decision, tell them that the penalty is the loss of a privilege. The loss must be linked to the behavior.

Make it obvious when privileges can be reclaimed. Typically, twenty hours is sufficient time to teach your child to learn from their mistakes. "You've lost TV for the rest of the day, but you can earn it back tomorrow by tidying up your toys the first time I ask," you may remark.
Take command of the situation. Children desire boundaries because they help them comprehend and navigate a sometimes perplexing environment. Set limits to allow your children to explore and discover their hobbies safely.
Make it your life’s objective to make them attain independence. Allow your children to put the toys away, empty her dish from the table, and dress as they are capable. Giving a chid responsibility is beneficial to their self-esteem (as well as your sanity!).
Try not to fix everything. Allow young children to come up with their own answers. You teach them self-reliance and resilience when you notice a child's tiny annoyances without jumping in to save them at every challenge they encounter.
Remember that discipline is not the same as punishment. Setting limits is about teaching children how to act in the world and assisting them in being competent, compassionate, and in control.
Choose your fights wisely. Children cannot absorb too many rules without becoming entirely disengaged. Forget about debating over trivial matters like fashion and the occasional use of foul language. Concentrate on what actually matters, which means no striking, nasty remarks or lying.

#3. Handling misbehavior

Selective ignoring is an effective method in the school of disciplining a child. This is not to say that you should turn a blind eye if your child is doing anything unsafe or inappropriate. However, you can disregard attention-seeking conduct.

When your child attempts to grab your attention by whining or moaning, ignore them. Turn away, pretend you can't hear them and don't answer. Then, when they ask respectfully or act well, restore your focus to them. They will eventually learn that being courteous is the most excellent way to have their demands addressed.
Set a good example for your children. Children learn by observing their parents. Modeling acceptable, courteous, and positive conduct is far more effective than telling children what to do.
When you mess up, own up to it. This is the ideal technique to teach your child when and how to apologize.
Live a bit more sustainably. Teach your children how simple it is to care for the environment. Every day, waste less, recycle, reuse, and preserve. Spend an afternoon cleaning up rubbish in your area.
Tell the truth at all times. Isn't that how you want your child to act?
In front of the children, kiss and embrace your spouse. Your marriage is your child's sole model of what an intimate relationship looks, feels, and sounds like.
Respect different parenting styles. Support your spouse's fundamental approach to childrearing unless it is clearly inappropriate. Criticism or bickering with your partner will damage your marriage and increase feelings of insecurity in your child.

#4. Logical Implications

Logical consequences are an excellent technique to assist children experiencing specific behavioral issues. The logical repercussions are directly related to the wrongdoing.

If your child does not eat their supper, do not allow them to have a night snack. If they refuse to pick up their toy vehicles, deny them access to them for the remainder of the day.
Linking the consequence to the behavior problem helps children understand that their choices have immediate repercussions.
Give attention and praise to the children who are following the rules and acting correctly when multiple youngsters are in the room. When the other child starts behaving nicely, offer them praise and attention.

#5: Teach them New Skills

One of the significant disadvantages of being too tough on the child is that it does not educate your child on how to behave better. Hitting your child for having a tantrum will not teach them how to calm down the next time they are unhappy.

Learning how to problem solve, regulate emotions, and compromise benefits children. When parents teach these skills, it can significantly lessen behavioral issues. Use discipline that is intended to teach rather than punish.
Every day, ask your children three "you" questions. The conversation is a vital social skill that many parents fail to teach their children. "Did you have a good time at school?" "What did you do at the party you went to?" or "Where do you want to go tomorrow afternoon?"
Teach your children this courage technique. Tell them to constantly look at the color of someone's eyes. Making eye contact may help a cautious youngster look more confident. It can also help any child be more aggressive and less likely to be picked on.
Recognize your child's powerful emotions. After your child has calmed down, ask him, "How did it feel?" and "What do you think would make it better?" Then pay attention to him. Allowing him to talk it out can help him recover more quickly after a tantrum.

#6 Natural Consequences

When you believe your child will learn from their own mistakes, use natural consequences. Keep an eye on the situation to verify that your youngster is not at any serious risk.

Children can learn from their own errors thanks to natural consequences. For example, if your child refuses to wear a jacket, allow them to walk outdoors and be cold—as long as it is safe to do so.
Prevent behavior problems by capturing your youngster doing something positive. Point out when they are playing well with their siblings, for example. "You're doing such a terrific job sharing and taking turns today," you say.

#7. Punishment vs. Reward

Rather than punishing a youngster for disobedience, encourage excellent behavior. If your child frequently engages in an argument with their siblings, create an incentive system to enable them to get along better.

Providing an incentive to behave can quickly reverse misbehavior. Rewards help children focus on what they need to accomplish to obtain privileges rather than on the harmful conduct they should avoid.

#8. Highlighting the positive

Give proper compliments. Instead of just stating, "You're fantastic," attempt to be more descriptive about what your child accomplished to merit the commendation. "Waiting until I got off the phone to ask for cookies was difficult, and I sincerely appreciated your patience," you may remark.
Celebrate the good stuff. Share your feelings with your child and make them know how you feel when you witness them doing something helpful or lovely. It's a terrific approach to encourage excellent behavior, so they will continue to do it and eventually form a good habit.

Conclusion

There are more effective methods to discipline your child than strict measures such as hitting, always saying no, and cutting them off from their luxury time. To avoid the evident exhaustion—for both parent and child— try these eight methods for disciplining your child to have a happier and more fulfilling life.

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