Article Surfing Archive

This is a very difficult subject. Learning how to discipline your child is a really important skill that parent must learn. Discipline isn't punishment at all; it has to do more with teaching respect for the rights of others, teaching right from wrong.

The children and their parents are really varied personalities themselves. Parents can often have an unpleasant feeling when they need to repeat themselves, fight their own children to convince them to follow some instructions or rules, or behave appropriately. There are some techniques that can be applied, regardless of the differences in individual personalities and behaviors.

That technique can help to get through the difficult moments, establish the parent's authority and boundaries that are necessary for a successful parent-child relationship. While no technique is necessary in itself, successful discipline can be realized combining several methods and techniques, that can work for your family.

One method is called 1-2-3 magic. The child will be empowered to make the right choice after setting boundaries, and establishing authority. I found some other great parent related material at http://www.massreleases.com. This method can be applied in the classrooms to maintain the appropriate behaviors from the students, but also it can be effective at home.

When a teacher or parent gives the child an instruction and the child refuses, the parent may say: that's one; there will be a time-out (or other consequence, which depends on the severity of the student's or child's action). The child has the opportunity the make the right choice, but if he still refuses to have the normal behavior, he will have a new answer: that's two.

The teacher or parent can repeat the instruction or wait some more minutes. If the child follows the correct instruction, the problem has been solved; if not, the parent or teacher says: that's three! Now he will follows the consequences announced at the counting start.

This method can't be used in the case of a child hurting another person, or hitting someone. If the child is saying something totally inappropriate he must be stopped immediately. This is the case when the child goes directly to the final solution.

This method is useful for the teachers or adults tired to repeat themselves and must yell to their children or students to follow some instruction. Counting will replace yelling, is as simple as that.

The consequences must be rigorously followed, whether it is a time-out or removing a privilege. The consequence will be determinate by the child's age. It can be the loss of allowance, removal of television privileges, early bedtimes, additional chores, and so on.

He parent or teacher must be unemotional when he is administrating the consequence, and even when doing the counting itself. Only in these conditions the discipline method can be effective. If the parent will react emotionally during the counting or when they are apply the consequences, the child will repeat his bed behavior, he will be encouraged.

The parents' calm attitude will stop the children in their attempts; they will lose the feeling of power over their parents' emotional state of mind.

The 1-2-3 method can be useful to establish the parents or teachers authority. This method can also preserve the parents' dignity. The pediatrician advice is always useful.