The Skill of Positive Discipline

Our kids have the habit of pushing the wrong buttons that will really make you stretch your patience to its limits. During these times, you feel frustrated, angry, irritated, annoyed, confused, sad and hurting. It is during these times that our primary role as parents is tested.

It is important that you maintain the right frame of mind by staying calm and patient but firm and consistent enough for them to recognize the authority. I cam sure you do not like your kid to go through verbal and physical abuse. This would mean that you discipline them in a way that will make them realize that what they did was wrong.

What are your goals as a parent when you discipline your child?

Your goal should be to teach your kids to be:

• Responsible
• Kind
• Respectful
• Cooperative
• Polite

How will you do this? You can do this through consistency. You need to be firm in all your teachings and most importantly, you need to communicate with your kids and openly discuss any disciplinary sanction you have in mind. Make sure you hear what they have to say first.

What are the factors that you need to consider before implementing any disciplinary punishment?

1. Age
2. Maturity level
3. Temperament

Make sure your kid knows and understand why you are doing this and how things reach this point. Once they understand why you do things, they would know exactly what’s coming for them the next time they commit mistakes.

Do not jump into the disciplinary sanction right away. At least, he owes you an explanation for what he did. Perhaps, you were quick to judge that you forget about his side of the coin.

Remember, as a parent, you are expected to be open-minded so that you can understand your kid better.