Discipline

Effective Discipline Reduces Stress

Today, most parents are so wrapped up in discipline that they have to make choices for the child. In majority cases of a child misbehaving a parent often times will scold him or her by yelling or spanking. Other parents will just make the decision for there children. My thoughts are that you have to let a child make a mistake or two to learn what it really means to become a better person for your wrong doings. For example, a parent may say “go ahead Sally, and run into the road. I will spank you if you do so”. With this situation Sally is most likely thinking to herself, “is mommy or daddy really going to spank me”? And with that thought alone, Sally may run into the street not because she wants to, but because she wants to test her parents to see how far they will go. Because of Sally being disobiedinat this causes her parents to become stressed. Maybe if Sally’s mother and father would have warned Sally that she could get hurt from running in the street she would have responded better to there order. But instead she was threatened and in Sally’s defense children usually do not respond well when the parent is stressed and yelling at them to do what they ask of the child. Parents will feel a reduced amount of stress if they could teach by example, plan ahead, and be firm to any situation that may occur.

Holt supposes that discipline not only comes from the home, but discipline, limits, and patients come from a child’s environment. When Holt addressed the word environment I interpreted that environment means household, and or how parental figures engage themselves around a child. Teach by example. Be a good example. If you hit children for hitting others, they won’t understand why they can’t hit other kids. Growing up my mother would often tell me, and in a nice and serious tone of voice that if someone was to hit me to report them to the teacher, and or let an adult know if outside of school. Being a young girl and knowing that if someone was to hurt me an adult would handle the issue always kept security in my heart while playing with others.

Plan ahead. Prevent misbehavior by eliminating situations that spell trouble. For example, make sure he or she has been fed and well rested before going to the supermarket. I could never figure out why every time I go to the super markets that children are always falling out in the middle of the isles screaming and yelling. But they parents can’t be mad at the child because its there fault for taking them unfed and tired. “Most mothers are in a rush, and usually carry their son or daughter to the super market directly after school, football practice, and ballet practice”. Jones, Judith. Telephone interview. . It is a tease to be tired and hungry and be pushed in a shopping cart looking at a market full of food, and you can’t touch anything or eat at that time.

Be firm. Clearly, and firmly state that the child does what needs to be done by the mother or father. Speak in a tone that lets your child know that you mean what you say and that you expect the child to do it. It doesn’t mean yelling or threatening. Being firm works for any age child and for many different situations. “When parents are firm and kind, children not only behave better but also feel better about themselves” (Kaufman, Jill). Discipline with Kindness, Positive Discipline: Being Firm and Kind. My mother would always assure me that I am not a wrong person, but the decisions that I make at times are wrong. A child should always know that making a choice to do wrong doesn’t mean that you are bad. Sometimes a little encouragement after being firm to he or she