Discipline

Discipline is always a difficult subject for parents.  There are diverse views on discipline that range from corporal punishment (hitting) to never saying "no" to your child.  But, what is the best way to discipline? 

To start off, we must address the idea of corporal punishment.  It is never "o.k." to hit your child.  I realize that most of us have grown up in homes where, if we misbehaved, we were forced to choose our switch or maybe there was a paddle with our name on it; but that does not justify hitting our children.  What most corporal punishment promoters do not realize is that every time a child is hit the child loses
self-esteem and it even affects their brain development.

The other extreme is not allowing your child to realize that "no" is an active word in society.  Children who are never told "no" will be in for a big shock when they enter school and work.  A good alternative to presenting this type of discipline is to not use  negative words; present the correct behaviors to a child rather than telling them they are "bad."

So what should I do to punish my child? 

One suggestion would be the use of "time-outs."  This form of punishment has been popularized by a television show and has become a well-used form of punishment.  Giving the child time to reflect on his or her behavior will help instill self-discipline within your child.  This form of punishment will not harm your child's development. 

Another type of discipline that can be use is taking away privileges.  My kids will attest to the fact that this is a great encourager of good behavior.  If they are not permitted to watch their favorite television show or play that special video game for a set amount of time, they will remember the experience the next time they think about acting out.

These are much better alternatives to corporal punishment and can be effective in assisting with discipline in any family.