What is child discipline?
Child discipline is often misunderstood by parents as lashing out of anger or getting into a conflict with the child. Disciplining your child should be seen in a positive light as any other life lesson giving activity. Disciplining a child is necessary for laying down the boundaries for his/her future development.
Child discipline revolves around making the kids understand the right behavior so that they grow up to become good citizens. The more well behaved and self controlled they are, the happier they will be, as there would be less instances of giving punishment for misbehavior.
1. The Challenge
The challenge that parents often face is to understand what is child discipline and the suitable way to discipline their child. Some parents, especially ones with a single child, spend most of the time pampering their child, they believe that the concept of 'child discipline' is about scolding or punishing the child. This often happens as parents themselves, don’t have a clear idea of what discipline actually is. Parents’ are responsible for guiding their child to tread the right path and the guidance and this guidance is essentially an activity of discipline. Thus, the parents should understand discipline themselves in order to discipline their children.
2. The Solution
a. Optimum guidance at the right time
Discipline involves guiding your child to tread the right path. When a child behaves in a rude or impolite manner at some point, discipline would mean stopping the child and explaining politely a better way to avoid such behavior.
b. Rules and Regulations
Contrary to what most parents think, setting up of rules and regulation framework is necessary for the positive development of the child. If the boundaries aren’t set, children might feel lost or unable to meet the challenges of life.
c. You reap what you sow!
The phrase stands suitable for this aspect of life. Treat and listen to your children the way you want them to treat and listen to you. If you sound interested in their conversations they would do the same when you speak.
d. Every action has a reaction
Every action would attract consequence - children understand this quite well. What parents need to do is to make the child learn to differentiate between a positive and negative action.
e. The only role models are parents
Your child will imitate the way you behave as he/she idolizes you. So, if you want them to learn good things try to set a good example yourself.
f. Threats create negativity
When you want the child to realize his/her mistake or the negative consequence of their behavior, do not threaten them. Instead direct them toward the rules they should follow. Make them realize, though politely, that repeating the negative action would earn them punishment. Do not over-punish as this might attract rebellious behavior. Just make the child realize that taking good decisions and following the right course would earn them immense love and care.
g. Rewards for boosting morals
Just the way you punish them for doing wrong, on the same lines, appreciate and reward them when they take a good decision or when their behavior is in the expected framework.
h. Start early!
Start training your kids at an early age. This will help them in understanding the consequences of indiscipline. He/she learns the behavior and knows that when they are hungry, crying would get them food. Parents only think about discipline when they see negative behavior their child. At this point, they take a strict route thinking it will discipline their child and this is where they falter. For parents, it’s a good exercise to go back to their childhood and recollect how they behaved when they were scolded for their mistakes. This will be helpful both for parents and the child as it will let the parents see the child’s perspective too.
