Tried And True Discipline

As you stroll through your grocery store, checking off your list, you often have the chance to choose between generic and name brand items. Most of the time the ingredients are similar, it’s just the packaging that’s different.

Well, after more than a decade of reading, reviewing, and analyzing numerous books on parenting, I can tell you with confidence that although the titles and packaging are different, the ingredients are often the same. So I’ve done some comparison shopping for you. I’ve looked beyond the packaging and sorted through the ingredients of various books and publications, as well as my own recipes, to bring you proven, tried-and-true principles of discipline — principles that are practical and easy-to-digest. Here are some of those principles.

Unified Discipline

Do you and your spouse agree on discipline? Consider a child we’ll call Johnny. Johnny knows he isn’t supposed to have candy until after dinner. He knows that if he takes a piece beforehand, his mom will quickly discipline him. But, he also knows that his dad won’t do anything. So Johnny grabs the candy, figuring he has fifty-fifty odds of getting away without any punishment. He plans on using the fact that mom and dad don’t see eye-to-eye on discipline to his advantage.

You need to agree on how you will discipline your children–ahead of time. If a new situation arises, talk privately first and come to an agreement, before you approach your children. Show your kids you’re unified, it’s easier for you, and much better for them.

Uniform Discipline

If you have more than one child, be sure to apply the same principles of discipline across the board. Don’t show favoritism. Of course, as we said before, each child is unique. But, general guidelines should apply to all children.

Consistent Discipline

What’s the hardest thing about disciplining your kids If you’re like most parents it’s consistency. You can read all the books in the world and have dozens of great ideas, but if you’re not consistent they won’t work. I’ll admit it, being consistent is tough. Sometimes it’s easier to just let the kids get away with something rather than sticking to your plan and being consistent with our discipline. But consistency pays off in the long run. It helps our kids to know what to expect from us, to understand the boundaries, and to respect the rules instead of testing them.

Firm Discipline

Some parents think that the only way to be firm is to be harsh. Harshness uses angry words, a raised voice, or emotional manipulation to try to make children obey. But there is a better way to show that a boundary is secure and can’t be crossed without a consequence.

Private Discipline

Never discipline in public. Let your child know that they will be disciplined when they get home and be sure to follow through. Nothing is more humiliating and degrading to a child than disciplining them in the grocery store, at the pool, at school, or in other public places. The honor principle works both ways and parents should always show respect to their children.

Non-negotiable Discipline

Don’t negotiate consequences with your children. A friend of mine recently took a privilege away from his daughter for willful disobedience. She lost the privilege of taking the car out Friday night. Well, she wasn’t going to take no for an answer and pleaded with her parents to let her wash, wax and clean the car instead. But, her parents stuck with their decision. Establish clear, non-negotiable consequences for misbehavior–then stick to them.

Positive Discipline

Disciplining should never involve personal attacks. Never call your children names or label them stupid, lazy, or mean. Don’t say things like, How could you do something so dumb Why can’t you ever behave Never compare them to their siblings or to other children.

Negative motivation might seem to work in the short run, but in the long run, it can have devastating effects. Children can eventually feel worse and worse about themselves and will either throw in the towel, I can’t do anything right, so why even try–or if they do try, they’ll feel like they are never good enough.

Three R’s of Discipline

Remove

When you need to discipline, immediately remove your child from the situation and send him to his room. The goal is to give your child time to think about what he’s done and give everyone time to calm down and prepare to talk about the situation.

When you sense that your child is ready and has a calm spirit, move onto the next R, reflect.

Reflect

During the time to reflect, you and your child will discuss the problem. Ask your child, What did you do wrong Don’t let him make excuses or blame others. Next, ask him, Why was it wrong Finally, ask, What are you going to do differently the next time You want to shape his heart so he’ll be self-motivated to change his behavior. Finally, discuss consequences.

Reconnect

Now comes a very important step — reconnect. Before you wrap up your discussion, make sure the bond between you and your child is not broken. Tell your child you love him unconditionally. Give him a hug and let him know you believe in his ability to make the right decision the next time.

It’s easy for me to encourage you on how to raise your kids, but implementing those ideas day-in and day-out can be a challenge. I know, because I face some of those challenges with my own children — bickering, complaining and disobedience are all part of parenting. I also know there are no quick fixes. But I can tell you that my wife and I are persevering in parenting… we’re hanging tough… hoping and praying that our work will find its reward… maybe a little now and hopefully a whole bunch later.