Importance of Child Discipline

One of the main jobs of being a parent is to enforce proper discipline and guidance. Effective discipline helps our child developed self-control. It is more on teaching rather than punishment. It involve the teaching the concept of right or wrong, how to respect the right of other and what behavior is acceptable or expected. Parents often worry about child’s misbehavior and how to handle it. An emotional and behavioral problem takes place if parents may not implement proper behavior.

Tips on how to enforce discipline

• Be a role model. Children is a great imitators so parents must act properly If a parent is honest, industrious, patient, kind, thoughtful, eat fruits and veggies, read bible and pray, it is likely adopt the values and habits of their parents. Children learn many things by observing the person closest to them. Parents must practice traits they wish for their children.
  
• Make sure the child understand what behavior is expected. Make explanation is simple, short and age-appropriate so that children understand what you are trying to say easily.
  
• Don’t make too much criticism. Make sure that a child understands that it is misbehavior and teach them the expected behavior and show them how much you love them.
• Avoid negatives all the time. You can tell instructions in a nice way such as “It is better to put your clothes here” instead of saying “Put your clothes here without my asking”
• Stay cool and calm. Avoid yelling and screaming because it teaches a child that it is okay to lose control. Just take a break few minutes break until you regain your composure.
• Don’t use bribery. Some parents make a habit of promising a reward if the child is good. In this case, the child is good because of the tangible reward not because it is the right thing to do. Also, he learns to manipulate adults. It is okay to give a reward occasionally and unexpectedly to show your appreciation. Reward is different from bribery.
• Give simple rewards and praise for the good behavior. It lets the child knows that you appreciated his efforts.
• Avoid physical punishment. Spanking your child and other form of punishment may trigger aggressiveness. A child may feel angry. Parents who find themselves swatting their children constantly, are not disciplining them but doing them harm.
• Promote good behavior. Give your child an opportunity to make decisions or choices such as food to eat, shirt to wear. He sees that he has control over his world. Offer him two choices in decision making and explain what is acceptable. It is important for the toddler to become independent.
  
• Give your child a warm and loving environment at home. Makes them feel loved and secured.
  

If you are having difficulty of disciplining your child, don’t be upset because children have different temperament and other ways of discipline may work on some children but not work with you. Also the best way is know your child so that you can enforce the right way to encourage proper behavior. Just do the best you can do and don’t give up.