Discipline Teaches a Child to Follow the Rules

Discipline

If you want your child to become a responsible, respected adult then you must discipline your child. This must be done without humiliation or abuse. “Discipline is the process of teaching your child what type of behavior is acceptable and what type is not acceptable. In other words, discipline teaches a child to follow rules.” (WebMD, 2005-2014) The most important thing is to teach the child what it is that you expect of them, teach them the consequences of not following the rules, and then consistently enforce these rules. Consistency is the key to establishing rules. “Whatever the age of your child, it's important to be consistent when it comes to discipline. If parents don't stick to the rules and consequences they set up, their kids aren't likely to either.” (Reviewed by: Jennifer Shroff Pendley, 2011) This works for both punishment and rewards. If a child knows that there are rewards for being good they will often seek those rewards.

When it comes to disciplining your children you will find that children differ and what works with one child may not work with another. I have three children and I can tell you that they are all very different. That being said, I have found that determining what type of discipline is effective for each child is as unique as they are. My oldest daughter did not like being put in time out, as she had to be where the action was. So, a good punishment for her for breaking the rules was to send her to time out. My son, on the other hand, likes solitude. I would send him to his room and come back later to find he had been playing with his toys and couldn’t have been happier. Punishment shouldn’t necessarily make the child unhappy but it should be a formidable consequence of breaki...

... middle of paper ...

...ldren by their parents in order to teach them to become quality people as they grow and begin to enter into society. Discipline is taught to children by utilizing both punishment and reward. They are punished when they don’t follow the rules and they are rewarded when they do. Parents must be consistent with enforcing the rules. Punishment is not a ‘one size fits all’, it should be customized to the child. The best form of teaching a child how to be disciplined is for the parents to be a role model for good behavior. If you want your child to act a certain way then you too should act that way. Lastly, do not use spanking as a form of punishment. This teaches children that it is okay to hit when you are angry and it is a form of humiliation. If you want your child to be confident and proud of whom they are, then you must show them that you are proud of whom they are.