Naseerah Nanabhai
13:10:2021

While parents may use different approaches and techniques to discipline their children, the goals of teaching appropriate behaviour, self-control, and responsibility for one’s actions are relatively the same in every family. Discipline is a crucial component of a child’s upbringing and one of the fundamentals of parenting.

Discipline practices help children learn to make good choices, manage their emotions, keep them safe, and promote respect. Often a lack of discipline may cause children to be unhappy, angry and resentful. By disciplining children, you are not only teaching them right from wrong but showing attentiveness towards them and their actions, which signifies your concern. Below is a list of some of the most appropriate ways to discipline children:

• Show and tell- one of the easiest ways to show right from wrong is to model behaviours and actions calmly and descriptively.
• Consistent rules- explain a set of clear rules for your children to follow, and make sure it is in age-appropriate words.
• Explain consequences- let children know what will happen if they don’t follow the rules or do a specific action.
• Listen – as important as it is to explain to children right from wrong, listen to questions they have about why it is wrong or them telling you why they did something they weren’t supposed to.
• Reward – point out good behaviour and reward them appropriately to encourage it over bad behaviour.
• Be consistent – if you tell them that something is wrong, let them know it is wrong always, and there aren’t any circumstances that will change it from wrong.
• Mistakes – remember that everyone makes mistakes and that at times your child had probably forgotten what you told them or did something without thinking.