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Discipline Techniques
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The following discipline techniques can help you effectively discipline your kids:
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Use distraction to get your child's attention away from inappropriate behaviors.
- Stop inappropriate behaviors with a firm ‘no' while looking your child in the eyes.
- Physically move your child when he is misbehaving, especially if he didn't respond to your firm ‘no.'
- Use extinction to remove attention from undesirable actions. As long as your child can't hurt himself, you can walk away and not give him attention or an audience for acting inappropriately, especially if he is having a temper tantrum. Giving too much attention to your child when he misbehaves can reinforce bad behaviors.
- Use natural consequences (rewards) to let your child learn the results or consequences of his actions. For example, if he throws a toy out the window, then he can't play with it anymore.
- Use logical consequences (rewards), for example, if he doesn't put away his bike, then you will do it, but he won't be able to ride it for the rest of the day. For older children, not filling the car with gas can have the consequence of not getting to use the car this week, etc.
- Use time-out to remove positive reinforcement or attention when he misbehaves.
- Withholding privileges is a very effective discipline technique, especially for older children. Find things that he likes or especially enjoys (playing video games, renting movies, going to the mall, talking on the phone), and then take it away as a consequence for misbehaving.
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| Looking for help learning to discipine your strong-willed or difficult child? Read our review of Setting Limits with your Strong-Willed Child, a great resource for parents looking for help to learn how they can understand and effectively discipline their children, especially if they are strong-willed or can be described as 'challenging, difficult, spirited, stubborn, hell-raising, a pistol or just plain impossible.' |
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Discipline Internet Resources:
- Discipline and Your Child: AAP parent's guide to discipline, explaining the difference between discipline and punishment, how to encourage good behavior, tips to avoid trouble, and strategies that work, including using natural consequences, logical consequences, withholding privileges and time-out. Plus six tips to make discipline more effective and information about why spanking is not the best choice.
- Disciplining Your Child: Information from kidshealth.org about disciplining your children at different stages of their life and a word about spanking.
- Guidance for Effective Discipline: American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement on discipline using a developmental approach, plus strategies for effective discipline and punishment.
- Effective Discipline for Young Children: Learn to understand children's behavior better, how to prevent misbehavior, how to deal with misbehavior, that discipline helps children learn how to behave, that there are many acceptable ways to discipline children.
- Discipline Facts: 'Helping a child to behave in an acceptable manner is a necessary part of raising the child well. Discipline varies at different ages. There is no one right way to raise children, but child and adolescent psychiatrists offer the following general guidelines...'
- BabyCenter Discipline Articles: Articles to help you discipline your baby and toddler.
- Behavior Problems and Solutions: Articles to help you discipline your preschool and school age children, including discipline strategies, and dealing with behavior problems at home, school, and at play.
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