Raising a child is not an easy task. When you become parents, you realize that you can’t always be the lenient type with your child. Disciplining your child early on is extremely important if you want your little one to grow up to be a good human being. However, you don’t have to always punish your child in order to discipline them. You can be polite and gentle, and yet effectively discipline him. The best way to discipline your child while still nourishing a great relationship with them is by using positive discipline techniques.
Here are some positive discipline methods that you can try out to discipline your little one:
1. Shift In Approach:
If your child misbehaves, rather than calling them bad, let them know that their action was bad. This would help them identify wrong behaviour and will help them not repeat the mistake. While calling out their behaviour, try suggesting ways to rectify their behaviour too.
2. Showing Them How To Behave:
If you notice that your little one is about to do something wrong, rather than simply saying, “Don’t do that!”, tell him what they can do instead. Teach your child how to behave properly by showing them the right way to behave.
3. Being Firm But Empathetic:
Showing empathy is a great way to make your little one see that you understand how they feel, but that they still need to behave the right way. For example, if your child says, "She started it first! she won’t share the ball." You can respond with, "I understand that you really want to play and that she won’t give it to you, but getting into a fight with the other girl is not the correct way to get it.” Yes, your little one will not be convinced but you will have to repeat yourself multiple times if you want to change their behaviour for good. Be patient with your child and do not lose hope.
4. Introducing Time-Outs:
Time-outs are more like a cooling-off period for your little one where they can introspect their behaviour (i.e. if they have misbehaved). However, as a parent, you need to remind them that time-out is not a punishment. The best way to go about this is to set up a space where your little one can sit for a while and think about their behaviour. This will not only help them cool-off but also look at a positive way of solving the issue.
5. Offering Choices:
This will give your child a feeling of being in control and won’t make them feel like you are always telling them what to do. If your child has hit someone else, you can offer them two choices. For example, “Do you want to apologize right now for hitting them or would you like to go into a time-out until you calm down and then apologize?”
6. Turning Mistakes Into Lessons:
If your child snatches a toy from someone else, you can also use past experiences to help him understand why they should not do it. For example, you can say, “Do you remember when your friend took the toy you were playing with? It made you upset, didn’t it? When you take something from someone, it makes them feel the exact same way.” Using this approach will help your little one understand the emotions of their friends and will help them grow into a kind and compassionate person.
7. Setting Boundaries and Expectations:
If your child loves to play, that is amazing, but you need to set firm rules about playtime. For example, your child can play after finishing their homework, or they can have ice cream after they finish all their vegetables. This makes fun time a reward for completing important tasks leading to them getting both things the right way!
Children can be stubborn and can also sometimes test your patience. But as a parent, it is your responsibility to teach them the correct way to behave. By remaining calm, consistent and firm in your positive way of disciplining, your child will soon learn how to behave and these very learnings are something they will implement for the rest of their lives!