Disciplining your child is one of the hardest parts of being a parent. Of course you want to correct negative behaviors in the most productive way possible, but sometimes the words “military school” can sound pretty tempting. How can you be sure the way you discipline your child will produce a happy and healthy adult?
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1) Stay calm.
2) Reward good behavior. Catch your child being good and praise him! (But do not give your child unnecessary praise, as modern culture encourages parents do – such as doing somersaults over a picture of a tree they brought home from preschool.)
3) Be consistent. Say what you mean and mean what you say -- every time.
4) Know when to ignore certain behaviors. This can be very powerful. Try to determine what kinds of behaviors you can safely ignore, and this will cut down on the amount of time you spend reprimanding your children. For example, if a child does something minor that he knows he’s not supposed to do – and if you saw it but he doesn’t know you saw it, ignore it. Keep your reprimanding for the big things.
5) Use humor. As much as possible, turn something potentially combustible into something funny. For example, if your four-year-old doesn’t like to brush his teeth and get ready for bed, say to him: “Whatever you do, do NOT go brush your teeth and put your jammies on” with a smile. This will throw him off course and generally bring about the desired outcome.
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