Most parents know the scenario. Their child has been naughty. Maybe they refused to go to bed at a reasonable hour or back-chatted them. Whatever the case, now a child needs to be disciplined, but how to do that has been divisive for decades. Now that we’re in the 21st century, there’s a better way to discipline your kids without any need for aggression or intimidation.
Bond With Them
No parent wants to shout at their children or, in a worst-case scenario, doll out corporal punishment. To help your child empathize and respect your decisions, try to bond with them. Spend some alone time with them even if its under an hour a day. Trust us, they’ll start to see you more as a source of authority.
Positive Reinforcement
Even though negative reinforcement needs to be applied when it’s needed, positive reinforcement should be a precursor that helps avoid a disciplinary scenario in the first place. Praise your child when they behave and do the right things.
If doing things right is just expected without any reinforcement, children might stray away from good behaviors for ones that create some kind of response. Children feeling attention-starved may act out just to get attention from their parents, even if it’s naughty behavior.
Communicate
Children don’t always understand what they are expected to do. Parents need to be very specific in their communication when they tell their children what they need them to do. Some children might not even know what they are doing wrong until it’s too late.
Parents can often assume a child knows what they did wrong, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead of “don’t mess,” be more specific. Use examples of what you’re worried about. Say, “Don’t run while holding your juice” or “clean up your toys when you’re done with them.”
Give Them A Chance
Children’s immaturity often means they’re terrified of the consequences of acting out. This might keep them out of trouble, but when something does happen, it can only traumatize them for life.
When they do something that needs discipline, give them a chance to explain themselves and try to make them understand why what they did was wrong. Having an open dialogue will help them understand why they did something wrong rather than just knowing they can’t normally do it. Be calm and collected when confronting your child about their behavior.
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