Top 20 Ways To Discipline a Child
Teaching children discipline does not mean punishing them, but you have to teach them to behave well. Depending on your child’s age, you have to discipline them differently.
While disciplining your child, start by making some rules that your child can understand well. While implementing discipline, be very regular, and make some rules that will motivate your child to go towards success, when your child does something good, support him, and encourage his good behavior.
Ways To Get Happy When You Are Sad
Method 1 – Setting Rules and Building Consistency
-
Make rules for the house:
According to the age of your child, they must know the difference between right and wrong behavior. Your child should know what you are expecting from them by making rules for the house. Your child should know what their behavior is out of bounds, and what happens if they break the rules.
These rules and their consequences may vary according to your child’s age and his or her maturity level. For a young child, the rule is not to kill someone, the rule will be applied and for an older child, the rule of not going out of the house. Whether your child is a matriarch or needs some new boundaries, you will have to talk to them with flexibility.
-
Make a routine:
Children often grow up with routines, because they help them feel safe, secure, and as they also get a sense of what to expect next. If you notice that your child is facing a behavior every day, at the same time, or when he is tired, he starts crying, then keeps these things in mind and then create a routine that can meet their needs.
Keep the routine of getting up in the morning and going to sleep at night so that your child can predict his day.
If there is any change in your child’s routine (such as going to a dentist or visiting a family member on weekends), let them know about this in advance.
Some children are unable to move from one activity to another without being disturbed. If your child needs some time to adjust, add this to his routine.
-
Keep some general consequences ready for their behavior as well:
By keeping such normal results, your child will have a perception of the consequences of doing something on their mind and will also develop a sense of responsibility in them. When allowing these natural outcomes to occur, give your child options, and tell them what the consequences of their choices will be. Eventually, your child will decide for himself and will also see the outcome.
Confirm these results to be appropriate and something that will help your child learn from their mistakes.
For example, if your child takes too much time to get ready to go to the park, then it will result in less time for playing in the park.
-
Be Sure With These Consequences:
Most parents have a habit of rescuing their child from these consequences in some way or the other, by tolerating their inappropriate behavior and saving them from having to face the consequences.
Children should know that you are never going to miss those results and their tricks will not work here. Show them that if they make a mistake, they will have to bear the consequences.
You do not have to change even if your child makes an excuse for his mistake, or gives an explanation for his wrong behavior. Be clear on your part, and say, “If you have broken a rule, then you will have to suffer its consequences.”
If you have more children (or more people have children with you), then your rules need to treat each child equally. Otherwise, in such a situation, they will feel that you are doing injustice to them.
-
Keep Real Expectations:
By setting too high expectations for your children’s behavior, they will start to feel a kind of pressure on themselves, while if you reduce this expectation altogether, then your child is on the path of deterioration. Will go away or he will never do anything with his full will.
All children are different, and they all have different strengths and different weaknesses. If you have an older child, do not expect your young child to behave like that older child.
According to your child’s age, how should you treat him, which is appropriate for him, and which also helps in his development, keep yourself familiar with all these things.
Method 2 – Disciplining a Toddler or Young Child
-
Turn their attention to another side:
Young children get irritated very quickly and start making noise! If your young child is busy with something or work that he does not want to share with anyone else, then let him do something else. Put all their attention on some other work. Praise him while he is doing another work.
If your child is playing with his safety or the safety of another child, then except for any other work, just face it. Give more importance to the child’s safety than distracting him.
- Give a warning:
Young children always need to be reminded of everything. If your child is going to break a rule or is behaving in the wrong way, give him a warning. After getting the warning, he will understand that by behaving in this way he will have to bear the consequences. When giving warnings, always use the “if … then” statements, so that your child also understands that he or she may suffer the consequences.
For example, say, “You want to hit, no problem.” If you hit him, consider your timeout.
-
Use this timeout:
These timeouts are good for young children and help them to calm themselves. Children who are losing their temper or misbehaving should be kept in this timeout zone.
It is a very effective tool for young children because it helps the child to calm down, and they get a reaction immediately to their behavior.
Most children, every year of their child’s age, send one minute for this timeout. You can also keep your child in this timeout until it is completely calm.
Ways To Stay Calm In Stressful Situations
-
Keep your cleanliness short and sweet.
If your child is still developing his or her word knowledge, then you do not have to explain to them their behavior or consequences too much. When speaking to your child, use very few words as comfortably and as little as possible.
Explain to them what mistake they have made and why they are facing the consequences. Then tell them what they should do now in the future.
For example, say, “You have hit Ruhi, so you have a timeout.” We should not hit anyone. If you find something wrong, you should come to me. “
-
Give them some small options:
Young children, when they see a kind of freedom in themselves, they like to feel in control of everything. If your child starts misbehaving just because he has no work to do, start giving him a choice. This will help them understand what they have to think about and what will happen next, how to handle it.
For example, you can allow your child to choose which story to read or which shirt to wear. If they are worried about wearing their shoes, then let them choose between the green or the red one.
This option includes wearing a jacket, otherwise, there will be a timeout. Tell him, “This is entirely your decision, what do you want?”
-
Suggest an alternative behavior:
Instead of telling your children what they are doing wrong, tell them what they should do. Your child will not know how to behave, so you must tell them, not to scold them.
For example, if your child is pulling your dog’s hair or tail, say to him, “The dog should pat like this.”
Method 3 – Disciplining an Elementary School Child
-
Use some logical results:
Although your child is still seeing normal results, you can still start some logical results. The relationship between your children’s behavior and its consequences will help them to understand the consequences of wrongdoing they have done better.
For example, if your child lies about something for his work, then, as a result, give him more work to complete.
-
Talk about your child’s behavior:
A child going to school is so big that he can understand his actions. Use this as an opportunity to make sense of your child and tell them which behavior is wrong or negative. Your child will now start learning how his behavior can affect him and others.
For example, most children who go to school lie to get everyone’s attention or to push the boundaries. If your child has also started lying to you, then explain to him that his lie hurts people, and this will make him an incredible person in the eyes of people, due to which his friends can also be affected.
-
Let them choose their responsibility:
School going kids love to have a choice because it gives them a feeling of more control and also a desire to get things done. If you also want to get your child to finish his work (or homework) and you are facing trouble in this, then put a choice in front of him and see what he would like to do.
When it comes to completing homework, then let your child decide in which order he wants to complete his homework or what he is going to do in the given time.
For some work, put such options in front of your child and ask them to choose any of them.
Some parents give their children some reward or money for extra work. If your child also wants to get something, then let him complete that task, choosing that thing. For bigger work, bigger rewards or more money may have to be paid!
-
Help them succeed if they are careless or irresponsible:
Some children get into trouble when they are unable to fulfill their responsibilities at home or school. Although it can also be due to their laziness, it creates a better environment for your child to succeed. Note where your child is becoming weak, and see if you can help them.
If your child is having trouble completing his homework every night, set a time for it.
If he is having trouble reaching the school bus on time every day, then prepare a routine for him in which there is a lot of time for him in the morning. Tell him that he should prepare his bag at night and also take out clothes for the morning.
-
When he does all the good, then praise him:
When your child performs better in something, show him how proud you are of him! Children need to get praise or encouragement from you. This makes him feel that you have paid attention to his work and you are proud of him. Most children want to support and attention from their parents, so do not hesitate to give them all.
For example, say, “I know that you didn’t want to clean your room, but I liked that you cleaned the room.” Now you can go to your friend’s house. “
Method 4 – Disciplining Pre-Teens and Teens
-
Keep your teenage child together while creating boundaries:
Knowing what your child thinks is fair and unbiased can help you a lot. When they take all responsibility for their behavior and the boundaries around them, they move towards fulfilling them more thoroughly.
Although the last will be accepted by you, it will make them feel that their views are also right and you paid attention to them.
Let your teenage child understand that you are ready to accept any responsibility related to household chores. If they want to change a rule, then ask them to create a situation or give them a choice.
-
Keep privileges away:
When your teenager misbehaves, remove anything that is in his possession. This includes television time, cell phone, or car delivery. With their good behavior, give them a chance to win back these privileges.
For example, if your 13-year-old child is answering you a lot, then snatch his cell phone from him for a day. Seeing the time of getting the phone back, if they start behaving in the same way with you again, then keep it with you for another day.
Let him understand that if he shows you his positive behavior, then only he can get a chance to get his phone back.
-
Do not support the habit of mouthing and insulting:
Adolescent children often verbalize with their parents. Don’t forget to make your child feel that you are their parent and they should respect you, whether they agree with you or not.
Give your children a chance to slow down their voice. If your child is still not stopping, do not carry on with him.
Tell your child how to be respectful and make them realize when they violate their limits. For example, you can tell your teenager that he is not allowed to speak loudly or shout at home.
-
Listen to what they want to say:
Although if you are expecting respect from your child, then you also have to give them some respect. If your teenage child has something to say, listen to them.
They may have a reason behind any behavior they have, which they can tell if you let them speak. Show them that you care about their words and their feelings.
For example, say to them, “Last night you returned home quite late, and I want to know why this happened.”
-
Make a Deal With Them:
Teenage kids have a habit of breaking the rules or they enjoy rebelling. If you impose a lot of rules on them, then you also have to be prepared for the possibility of breaking those rules. If your child is anti-rules, then try to make a deal with him, so that you and his words can be heard.
For example, if you want to know from your teenage child, where he is going, with whom, then in such a situation, offer to buy a phone for him, the condition of which is that he should keep it connected with you. And if it does not, you will take it back from them.
Advice
Do not punish too hard.
Do not threaten your child. When you are angry with your children, then you can also speak such things accidentally, which you did not want to speak. But, this can threaten your credibility as a parent and as a rule-maker.
Avoid screaming or hitting your child. Raising hands-on children is the most useless way to improve their behavior because it makes them think that killing someone is the solution to everything. Also, because of this, aggression is born within children.
Pay regular attention to your child. If you suspect that your child pretends to get your attention, then take some time aside from each day, which should be for both of you.
Disciplining adolescent children is a big topic in itself, especially because it creates good habits for you and your child to discipline.
Note: Depression Cure does not provide any type of medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.