Answered by Team ParentCircle
Dear Parent,
It all depends on what you mean by the word ‘discipline’? Do you mean ‘obedient’, always listening to what you say without questioning or stating their point of view? Or is it about being strict and punishing your child when he misbehaves? If discipline means you have complete control over what the child should and should not do, then you have to ask yourself if that is best for your child. Will he grow up and be able to make decisions on his own? Will he be able to make the right choices without you telling him what to do?
On the other hand, if you think of ‘discipline’ as a teachable moment, your child will learn self-discipline and self-control, skills that will serve him for life. If your child is misbehaving, here’s what you can do to help him learn from that situation:
A disciplined environment can be maintained by letting your child know what you expect of him, and by making family agreements about what is acceptable behavior. Do remember that children need constant reminders about behavior. Reminding them in fun ways takes away the stress, lightens the atmosphere, and makes the child become more cooperative with you.
Ensure that you are cued into your child’s world and empathize with his feelings (remember all feelings are okay, all behavior is not). Then, you will surely have a disciplined environment, one that is not filled with fear, but one that is filled with love and understanding!