Preschooler Discipline
Preschoolers are wonderfully imaginative ‘little’ people who have a wonderful way of capturing your attention and reminding you of what is really important in life – the joy of living. Despite their charming and playful personalities, they can also be a source of frustration for many parents. Disciplining a preschooler is not an easy task. Most parents often struggle with establishing and enforcing discipline that is reasonable, effective, and achievable. A number of child experts agree that disciplining should take on a more positive tone rather than be seen as a negative consequence to misbehaviours. Terms such as Positive Discipline and Positive Feedback all point to the same philosophy; that is, that disciplining should be done primarily as a teaching tool, not as a negative form of punishment.
What is 'Discipline'?
Discipline is really about guiding and teaching young children so that they in turn will make informed decisions about their future behaviours. In fact, the word discipline is from the Latin word discere, which means, “to teach or learn”. Preschoolers are merely young impressionable students who need training, coaching, and lots of patience and love in order to become responsible, respectful, and caring members of society.
Top 5 Discipline Strategies
Becoming a parent for the first time is a daunting task to say the least. Choosing appropriate discipline strategies take time. In fact, many parents experiment with a variety of methods until they find one that are suits the needs of their family. Listed below are some practical discipline strategies that have been proven to be both effective and achievable.
- Be Firm. Say what you mean and mean what you say. This is by far the most important strategy. Being firm creates the boundaries that are needed to insure children understand your expectations and consequences. It also establishes basic rules for your home. Being firm doesn’t mean that you talk to your child in an angry voice; rather you use a calm but firm voice what is expected.
- Ta ke a Deep Breath Before You React. You need to be constantly aware of what you say to a child in the heat of the moment. You need to express to your child that his/her behaviour is wrong, not him/her. Once criticisms and put downs are verbalized, they can’t be taken back. Hurtful words and actions are damaging to your child’s self-esteem and do not model appropriate behaviours.
- Set Reasonable Expectations and Consequences. When deciding upon appropriate expectations and consequences for a preschooler, you need to consider the age of the child, the nature of the offending behaviour, and the personality of your preschooler.
- Pick and Choose Your Battles. Not all inappropriate behaviours are worth the mental anguish for either you or your child. Take some time to decide on issues that are the most important to you and your family. Create a list of important issues that are not negotiable and a list of issues that are flexible.
- Plan Ahean to Avoid Misbehaviours. Young children have limited attentions spans and thus, it is always a good idea to consider this fact when planning your child’s environment and daily schedule. It is a good idea to have some toys/books and quick snacks already packed in your car. Another point to consider is that most children become cranky at the end of a long day. Plan your trips so that you can accomplish what you need to get done with minimal fuss and aggravation.
The above list of preschooler discipline strategies is far from an exhaustive one; however, it is a start. Implementing reasonable consequences along with having a candid discussion about the offending behaviour are the most effective forms of discipline that teaches your preschooler to identify inappropriate behaviours by him/herself. The key foundation in developing any effective discipline strategies is having an open, honest, and trustworthy relationship with your child.
References
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